Heart of Fire
by DONOVAN94
Summary: "I am SMAUG! I kill where I wish and none dare resist! And now, you belong to me!" Smaug stirs beneath Erebor when he hears a heavenly voice and knows he must have such a prize for his own. Trapped in the Dragon's lair, Kathryn, a seer, must survive this deadly creature to escape to freedom. But a vision plagues her, one that connects her to the mighty dragon forever. (no marysues)
1. Chapter 1 - An Unexpected Visitor

**What's up guys? I'm back! :D So, I've been thinking and stewing over this story for a while, and I wanted to wait until "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" came out - at least in cinemas and I could get a good look at the zenith (the peak!) of awesome-dragon-ness. But, it turns out that I am really, REALLY, impatient for this one. But that doesn't mean I'm going to rush: This is going to be planned, thought out, proof read, and perfected - however much I might want to get it straight out there. **

**Just quickly, I want to just start off by saying that I am in NO WAY a die-hard Tolkien fangirl. I am a dragon fangirl. I have not read ****ANY**** LOTR books or the Hobbit book; I have only seen two of the LOTR films (Peter Jackson's version), although I do love the Hobbit movies (Peter Jackson again, obviously). However, that doesn't mean I'm going to hack at this to bits, I will try not to mess with any lore, language, history, etc. I will try to be as truthful to Tolkien as I most possibly can as an outsider, so that both die-hard Tolkien fans and Jackson movie fans can (hopefully) enjoy this fic. But knowing my luck I will eventually make some sort of mistake, so if anyone could point out to me if I do something wrong (forgivingly, please) I would very much appreciate it. **

**Thanks very much for listening to my ramblings, I'm going to shut up now. I do not own anything, all rights go to Tolkien, Jackson, and all other geniuses behind this. And please read and review! You guys are amazing!**

* * *

Chapter 1 – An Unexpected Visitor

"People speak through me, yet I do not make a sound. People can sell me, yet I have many clones. I can bring you laughter between breakfast and tea, Yet I can also break your heart easily. I cover the earth like trees of old, Whose leaves can blind and yet enfold. What am I?

- A Book"

* * *

The wind howled and the rain poured down. She sat by the fire, her thoughts lost in the flames: thinking of times long ago and dreams yet to be dreamt. The storm raged outside, and she pulled the shawl tighter around her thin shoulders. She closed her eyes, waiting for sleep to claim her, and with it, the agony and release that it would bring. She was so heavy, down to her bones… perhaps this would be…

She was jolted awake when she heard an awful banging. She leapt forward in her chair, and spun towards the door, her eyes wide as she tried to still her frantic heart. Cautiously, she silently picked up a dagger and went towards the door.

She kept her breathing slow and deep in an attempt to still her nerves. No one ever came here, no one knew of here. So why would they come? she was as silent as she could possibly be, her ears prickling for even the slightest sound. But she heard nothing other then the dreadful storm outside. She couldn't pretend that no one was in, for they could see the blaze of her fire through the windows. Lifting the latch upon the door, she grasped the handle, hiding her dagger behind her back as she waited a few seconds. She opened the door just a crack, the light of her cottage spilling out onto the path by her front door.

An old man stood there, his grey robes soaking in the rain, his pointed hat keeping the worst of the wet off of his long grey hair and beard. He leaned against a staff, his cheeks flushed as if he were out of breath. Most would have been set at ease by the old man's appearance, but not her. She grasped the handle of the dagger a little tighter, but peered through the crack of the door, her eyes shining onto him.

"Can I help you?" she asked, sounding polite but suspicious at the same time.

"Oh!" the man exclaimed, as if she had caught him off guard. "Yes my dear, I was wondering if you would spare an exhausted man warmth by your fire for the night? I am travelling West, but this blasted storm has caught me off guard."

She looked suspiciously at the shadows around the door, and then looked back at the elder man.

"It is just I," he said softly. "I promise you, you have nothing to fear from me,"

That seemed to satisfy her. She nodded and opened the door for him, allowing him to come inside.

He hung his grey cloak to dry with his pointed hat, and sat in the chair by the fire. He sighed with relief as he sat down, and smiled softly. She watched him suspiciously from her seat at the table, as he pulled out his pipe and began to smoke it, the sweet scent quickly filling the room.

"Thank you, my dear," the elderly man smiled at her kindly. "Your kindness is most appreciated. I assure you, I will only be here till the storm is out, then I will be out of your hair,"

"Are you certain of that?" she asked, her eyes gazing at him coldly.

He looked at her, a frown as to the only sign of his confusion.

"I have seen of your coming," she murmured. "Somehow you have deemed that important enough for me to see it. Not very subtle for Gandalf the Grey,"

"So…" he raised an eyebrow as a corner of his lips twitched into a smile. "It appears the rumours are true. A seer is in the north of Bree. For a woman in hiding you're rather well known… Kathryn of Threndryn."

"That is only the superstitious folk of Bree, other than that I keep myself well hidden," she said.

"I can see,"

They stared at each other, their eyes locking as they tried to piece together the puzzle of the other. Finely, deciding that he had passed the test, Kathryn sighed, and gave a sad smile.

"You will have to forgive me Wizard," she said sleepily. "I have not entertained guests in many, many years. In fact, I don't think ever. And my manners as a host have as a result withered and died. I couldn't be too careful – suspicious folks from Bree are rather tenacious."

"Quite alright my dear," Gandalf puffed, waving away her apology. "It was rather rude of me to turn up uninvited to your home… when you have obviously taken such large precautions to make sure you are never found,"

They stared at each other again, this time Kathryn made no attempt to hide her uneasy fear as she gazed at the old man. And for him, he eyed this strange women intently, noting her fiery red hair that bloomed like flames as it cascaded over her shoulders and down her back. And her unusual violet purple eyes that stared at him as if they could pierce into his soul. Her smooth marble white skin reflected the pale glow of the fire, even when she tried to keep herself in the shadows.

"Why have you come here?" she asked, her tone almost pleading with him.

Gandalf puffed on his pipe, his eyes seeming to gaze out onto some far off place. Smoke leaked from his mouth and nostrils, the scent oddly calming; grunting, he shaped his mouth, and formed the shape of a boat with the smoke, making it sail around the room.

"I am about to instigate an adventure," he said, his attention drifting back to her. "And I was told that you had a remarkable tale to tell that could help me,"

"You have interesting sources,"

"Birds, you know how they can be," Gandalf chuckled heartily.

But Kathryn only looked at the grain of the wood on her table, her eyes glistening from past memories.

"What do you plan to do to him?" she asked finally, her voice broken, barely above a whisper.

Gandalf sighed, suddenly looking worn as he gazed at her sadly.

"I hope that it won't come to the worst," he admitted. "But you must know that his inaction can no longer be tolerated."

"But you know he will never change: he is too arrogant and too proud to even consider it. He couldn't for me… why you?"

"I am hoping that with your help, all this suffering can finally end, and even perhaps he may yet live," he offered kindly.

Kathryn stared at him again, her eyes searching him for the longest time. But finally she sighed, her shoulders slumping in defeat.

"Where do I begin?" she pleaded, speaking mostly to herself then to her guest.

"The beginning is always preferable," Gandalf puffed on his pipe. Kathryn chuckled, a smile breaking out on her face despite herself.

"Well then… I guess that the beginning is with my earliest memory. I was raised in a little village in the mountains, my mother always claimed that she had a bit of elf blood in her from my great-great-great-great grandmother or so, she was always a proud and self-promoting woman. Perhaps she was right, for magic was certainly in my veins, although no one knew until I was a young child.

"I was six when I had my first vision – I was helping my father cut wood, when all of a sudden… a terrible pain consumed me, I became blind, I was shaking uncontrollably. My father tried to restrain me, apparently I was speaking in tongues and screaming. They hurried me inside and called for a Healer, but I was oblivious to everything around me."

"What did you see?" Gandalf asked, his eyes sparkling with interest.

"I saw monsters – Orcs I believe – battling dwarves. It was horrific, and for a young girl…" she shuddered. "I had nightmares about those eyes, those teeth, the horde coming for me, the swords clashing around me. That was when my eyes changed colour – they were once golden brown like my father's. But after that first vision, the moment I opened my eyes they were changed, now the purple of magic that flows through me. The Healer didn't know what to do, so my parents got in touch with a shaman that lived not far from our village. He came to me, and looked into my eyes, so that all I could see was him. That was when I grasped the first rule: if something is deemed important enough, then I see it. When I looked into his eyes, I saw the moment when he made his payment to the spirits in order to gain his power.

"The Shaman told my parents that I was a Seer. He couldn't tell me the specifics, but recommended that I be taken to wizards in order to learn of my power."

"That would have been best," Gandalf nodded. Kathryn scoffed to herself.

"My mother was mortified; she had a witch for a daughter… she felt utterly disgraced. She began to keep me on a tighter leash – never letting me go far from the house, never allowing me to mingle with the other children from the village. She even locked me in my room at night, drugging me so that I could sleep without dreams. My father didn't agree, but he wanted to keep me safe, they both feared that the village would see me as curse and would then try to kill me – or at least, that was what they told me. They locked me away for ten years, and when a vision would overcome all their conditioning, all their precautions, it would take hold of me completely. Without anyone to teach me I learned a few rules that my visions seemed to follow: if something was deemed important enough, whether it be the past, the present or the future, then I would see it; if I focused on a particular point in history, say a battle or a coronation, then I would get a brief image of it, perhaps a few words; in sleep it was the worst, I had no control, often shaking violently and uncontrollably, sometimes screaming myself until my throat gave out. I soon grew used to the fact that I had to sleep with my hands and feet tied to my bedposts, my mouth gagged. Thankfully I never vomited. They kept me like that for ten years. Finally, when I was sixteen, I had had enough."

"You ran away," Gandalf's tone was almost apologetic.

"Yes, when I was sixteen," she murmured. "I had never realised the truth of my parents' fears – I had always thought it was because of my mother's spite. But I learned that they were real when I came to my first town. It was small, I used what little money I had to buy a room and food for myself. I only had to look at a small scratch on one of the inns tables, and I was overcome by a vision – I saw bandits tearing the place apart, murdering the innkeeper and setting the place ablaze. The town thought I was sick at first, maybe a little frightened, weak in the heart, overcome by the big bad world. When I tried to warn them of what I had seen they laughed, everyone in there laughed at me. Three days later, when I was about to leave the town, my vision came true. I tried to help the town put out the blaze. And then everyone remembered what I had said. They ran me out of town, said that I brought bad luck and evil with me.

"After that, I never stayed in one place for too long, I tried my hardest not to talk to anyone or even get invested in anything – the less I focused on a place the better, the visions only came to me if I knew certain details that pointed to some outcome that the vision could show. Two years I spent wandering, stealing what little coin and food I needed, sleeping wherever I could find the shelter, either it be an alley, a cave, up a tree, sometimes if I had the coin then I would get a cot at a tavern. But no matter where I went, if a vision overcame me in public, I had to leave immediately, the locals would either try to exploit my gift or give me the evil eye and chase me out as fast as they could. One fanatic little village in the middle of nowhere tried to sacrifice me to their heathen gods.

"I couldn't see an end in sight. I was miserable, I wanted to just be left alone – perhaps just die. So I found myself wandering further east… until I found myself looking at the perfect place. A ruin of a city, a place long abandoned. Sure there was a small town close by, somewhere I could trade and buy goods, but other than that it was deserted."

"You found Dale," Gandalf said, almost mystified. "The ruined city close to Erebor."

"Yes," Kathryn nodded. "I had heard the rumours of the dragon that lived in the mountain – it almost put me off. But I was too tempted by the peace there, the chance to be left alone, to live my life. If I was careful, then he wouldn't even know I was there, if not then my misery would finally end."

She smiled forlornly, her heart and mind drifting to a place far away.

"Little did I know how differently things would turn out."


	2. Chapter 2 - The Ruined City

Chapter 2 – The Ruined City

"What has roots that nobody sees; is taller than the tallest trees; up, up, up it goes and yet never grows? A Mountain"

The city was an utter ruin: buildings lay crushed, forgotten, defiled and broken. Bones and dust were everywhere, ash still floating through the air, the only remnants to what was once here. Kathryn walked through it all as silently as she could, her footsteps seeming to echo softly as she tried to push her was through the shell of buildings and debris that remained. She coaxed her mule onward, holding the reins as she guided the beast quietly through the wreckage. She tried to make as little sound as possible, as if the faintest whisper could stir the wrath of the beast that lived in the solitary peak above. The mule was a calm animal though, and followed her without question, carrying what little food and possessions they both had.

Kathryn led them for ages as they wandered through the city, searching for the right spot. This was perfect! Not a soul in sight and spoils from a forgotten age ripe for her to pick; the loneliness was a price she would gladly pay if it meant that she could be free.

Eventually, she found what she was looking for: a building with a roof that was mostly intact, laying broken by a fountain that was crushed and now water simply flowed in a steady stream from the burst pipes. A patch of earth lay beside it all, large enough to grow a decent vegetable patch perhaps, maybe even enough for a few goats and pigs if she was ever lucky. This was perfect.

She led the mule to their final destination, tying it to a fallen beam just outside, and then Kathryn ducked her head in as she squeezed through the opening in the side of the brickwork, a hole just big enough for her to squeeze through and call it an entrance. The collapsed building was domed on the inside, but was just large enough for a bed, a fire and even a cool dark hole in the debris that she could use for a larder. She smiled briefly. It wasn't a palace, but she was going to make it a home.

Quickly unpacking her bags from the mule's back, she rolled out her sleeping mat, and set her provisions in the hole, placing an ancient wooden board (that perhaps a long time ago served as a piece of a door) in front of it. She then came back out into the open air, and began to explore.

She went through all the nearby houses, buildings and halls, and admitted she would find some interesting things among the ruins. Iron pots that were rusted slightly but still useable, fire wood and kindling, broken blades and weapons that could serve as farming tools, she even found a hidden crate that was mostly intact filled with garments and clothing, moth eaten mostly, but still good enough to serve as bandages, blankets and other uses.

Constantly watching the sun, Kathryn monitored her time – she didn't want to be caught out after night fall. Should the monster of the mountain decide to come hunting he would not find her wandering the streets.

Heading back to her… well, the only thing she could call it now was "home", for that's what it would have to be. She fed her mule and put it under another fallen house that would serve as shelter for now. She quickly lit a fire and began to cook her dinner – only a small field rat she had caught that morning before arriving in Dale. She ate quickly and settled down for sleep as the sun began to set, allowing her fire to build up so that it would give her some warmth through the night.

She huddled close to the flames, her mind racing through the possibilities of what she would have to do in the weeks ahead in order to make her stay liveable. Summer was waning, so she would need to get her vegetable patch ready and start to grow some winter vegetables, then, come the spring she could start to be more adventurous. A relationship with the merchants of Lake-town was her best bet to stay alive, she would need to buy seeds from them, at least for the first year, she could catch vermin to eat for her meat but that wouldn't sustain her forever, she needed to buy goats for milk, pigs for meat and perhaps even a sheep if she was lucky for wool to make warm winter clothes for herself. But none of this would come cheap. She could steal it, but then the locals would eventually find her and chase her away… she couldn't run anymore, she was tired of running, she just needed to rest… gods above, _please_, she prayed, just give me some peace!

No, she wouldn't risk this one place of refuge that she had found, it was the only place on Middle-Earth where she could be free and not be hunted for her curse. No, she would go through the ruins of this city, surely there must be something here that she could sell, there had to be, over the next few weeks she was going to look around and take anything she could salvage.

As the sun's light faded and with it the black darkness that covered the earth like the shadow of a god, Kathryn felt dread fill her as she huddled there, keeping close to the fire, as if its light could keep away the nightmares, the screaming, the trauma that clung to her, the curse that she encountered every time she closed her eyes.

She took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. _Now, now,_ she scolded herself, _You've dealt with this for years now, just go through the steps like any other night. _

Briefly, she wondered what it would be like if she were still home, with her mother and father. Would it have been a lesser evil to have them constantly drug her, to be in a sickly haze rather than face the horrors of the visions?

_No._ she spat icily in her thoughts. _Nothing is worse than that. I would rather die in the cold then go back to that… that…_

She didn't have the words for it, she wanted to hate it, hate them, but the terror she relived most nights… some nights, when she was so exhausted she collapsed onto her sleeping roll, she would have a night of sleep without dreams, without visions, without horror… and she would wake weeping with tears of joy, just for that one moment of peace. Sometimes she even wondered if death would be a final rest, or would it just be an eternal plague of visions assaulting her soul.

Shaking off such morbid thoughts, Kathryn went to her saddle bags and removed four thin wooden posts and leather rags. She drove the posts into the ground where she would sleep, pushing them down until they were firmly in, unable to wriggle out or be lifted. She then wound leather straps around her ankles and secured them to the foot posts, so that there was no room for her to struggle and kick out. Next she wound two loops around the hand posts, making small nooses. Then she placed the last in her mouth, tying it at the back of her head beneath her wavy ruby locks, the gag was enough to silence her, but not so intrusive that she would heave and vomit and it wouldn't hamper her breathing. Lastly, she laid down and looped her hands through the nooses and pulled them tight.

Her breathing became shaky, just as it always did, the feeling of entrapment, of utter shame and terror of her situation burned through her. She looked out of a hole in the wall, and saw the faint silhouette of Erebor, the Lonely Mountain, with the moon rising behind it. She tried to use the peaceful image, the calm it gave her to settle her mind as she steeled herself as her eyes closed, bracing against the dreams to come.

* * *

He growled as he snored, his thunderous voice echoing throughout the chamber. He was only dozing, his double lidded eyes only half closed, his inner lid obscuring the world around him so that he could rest but still be partially awake. He was always in this state after a good hunt, and earlier that day he had hunted well. He had feasted on a rather large Spider Queen from the Mirkwood, more for the challenge then the meat, he liked it when his prey fought back, it made his victory all the sweeter, knowing that there was nothing that could stand against him. He was Smaug the Mighty after all, he was the conqueror and undisputed King of these lands.

He burrowed further into his hoard, allowing the coins and jewels and treasures to pour over him, revelling in the glory of his treasure, basking in its glow. He settled for true sleep, wanting nothing more than to sleep for several weeks until he would need to hunt once more. Spiders of that size were good for a challenge but not for good eating; perhaps a troll, or maybe even something from the Mirkwood. Sometimes he even missed his days in the north, hunting and battling for his supremacy, revelling in the fury of his fire, when he was young and impulsive, doing what he pleased, now he was old and strong, with a hoard that could rival that of any drake in all of Middle-Earth - ARDA - and the wastes beyond. He was a collector by nature, he prided himself with the fact that he had everything: the finest jewels, gold and riches untold, works of art both mortal and immortal, and even his home was a thing of magnificence all to itself.

Smaug snorted, spraying gold everywhere from his nostrils as he settled for sleep. His eyes drifting closed as he settled amongst his treasures. Content, at peace…

And then he heard a sound.

It was an echo, faint, but he could hear it, it was… a song.

Confused but interested, he opened his eyes and listened.

_"… Having gazed afar at the distance_

_ from tree-tangled lands of Middle-earth_

_ on this side of the ocean, here, great ocean_

_ Fanuilos, I will sing to you_

_ On this side of the ocean, here, great ocean…"_

That voice… Smaug had never heard anything like it. It was angelic, as if something from the ether: purer then any elf, stronger than any human, and utterly enchanting, as if magic was fused into its very being, calling to him, speaking to him.

Smaug knew that this was perhaps the greatest voice he had ever heard, and he had been witness to many a song from Elf, human and dwarf alike, for he had had his fair share of all over his many centuries and nothing compared to this.

And he knew in that instant, that he had to have it.

After all, he was a collector by nature, and to have a voice such as that, a trophy that none other could have but himself, it would be an excellent addition to his hoard.

And then he realised that it was close… very close indeed. His interest was very much piqued now, for if the voice belonged to one of those miserable Lake-men he may not have heard it at all, but this, he could hear just outside the mountain.

Smaug decided that his day was not through with the hunt just yet.

* * *

Kathryn heaved as she struggled to rake a mace through the hard, scorched earth. The spikes on the mace caught on every stone, every burned and dead root, and it was hard work. She'd spent the morning trying to plough a patch of earth, pulling up the earth so that it could gain some goodness from the elements before she began to sow her seeds. She was sweating profoundly, and the only reason that she didn't use her mule to help was because the mace would just bounce along the ground, not plough it. Next year, she definitely planned on building a sodding plough if she had to.

But that job was almost done, and then she was going to go searching through the buildings again in an attempt to find anything of value. Then she could go to Lake-town tomorrow and sell what she found.

She'd been in this desolate ruin for over a month now, and… and life wasn't as perfect as she'd imagined. Living within a corpse was tough, gruelling, and utterly difficult beyond comprehension. But, she hadn't survived as long as she had by giving up. It was either stick to this or be on the run for the rest of her life.

As she finished her work, she went over to the stream that leaked from the broken fountain, and washed her face and hands in its cool waters. She sighed in relief, calming herself as she did so, not allowing her mind to wander to anything in particular.

She'd had a headache all day, she'd had it for the past week in fact. It was like a miner pounding with his pickaxe against the inside of her skull trying to smash his way out. She sighed, and looked uncertainly at her make-shift home.

Her feet guiding her there, she found herself in front of the satchel that held her buys from the other day. She'd managed to sell whatever junk was around and had found herself buying… with revulsion she'd come to terms with the fact that she may or may not need the drugs for the immediate future. They were nothing as powerful as what her parents used to force down her throat, these drugs were enough to put her under, no more, she wouldn't be a walking, dribbling husk living in blurry world, she'd be knocked out, that was it.

By the spirits, she didn't want to use them, it was for emergencies only. But this headache was the precursor of something far worse – she could feel it in her gut – as if something was coming, the mother of all visions.

Deciding to be safe rather than sorry, she picked up the poultice that held her drugs, and shoved them into her pocket. She then walked out and went about her duties.

Kathryn wandered for a few hours, going through the rubble of the lost city, going through any house or building that was safe enough and wouldn't collapse on top of her. Her mule followed without the need for her to guide its reins, it was merely for company she thought now. Either that or it was looking to be petted – this girl seemed to like affection, and was more than content to stay for hours under Kathryn's gentle fingers.

And as she wandered, Kathryn began to sing.

It was a simple tune, one she'd learned a few months ago from a travelling merchant who claimed he'd dealt with the elves of the Mirkwood, and had learned one of their songs.

_"… Having gazed afar at the distance_

_ from tree-tangled lands of Middle-earth_

_ on this side of the ocean, here, great ocean_

_ Fanuilos, I will sing to you_

_ On this side of the ocean, here, great ocean…"_

Kathryn allowed the song to easily flow from deep within her, the notes sliding long her throat, her mouth forming the sound as it echoed around her ears.

Singing was her last great joy. The one thing she had inherited from her family that she neither resented nor cursed. She had sometimes sung on the corner streets of towns in order to earn a little money for her supper. There was something about creating music that utterly calmed her mind and body, making her forget the visions, as if it were putting them away in a drawer in her mind. But at the same time it made her spirit soar, allowing her very nature, her soul, to be weaved into the words.

As she sang she gradually forgot about her headache.

Looking through the burned, crumbled buildings, one after the other, Kathryn's spirit slowly began to sink as her search quickly resulted in nothing. It was as if anything of any value at all had already been picked clean of the waste, for all she could find was ash, rags, broken pottery and dull rusted weapons left to turn to dust.

Slumping against the side of a building, Kathryn allowed her exhaustion to fill her, the headache coming back with renewed strength. She sighed, shoulders slumping as her head rolled forward to sink on her chest. She felt a soft snort, and then a sharp tug against her hair, and she looked up into the face of her mule as it bumped her head with its nose affectionately. Kathryn's lips twitched in a smile, as she reached up to pet the animal fondly.

"Okay girl," she murmured soothingly. "Let's go back home,"

A small breeze drifted past them, unusually warm and dry for the late year weather.

The mule's eyes went wide, her ears pressed flat against her neck, and she screeched in panic, stamping her hooves upon the ground. Kathryn gave the beast a startled look, climbing to her feet and taking the creature's reins as she tried to sooth it with strokes down its neck, whispering comfortingly. But the animal would not be stilled, its nostrils flared and its eyes widened impossibly, until white could be seen around the whole eye. It bucked and brayed, pulling against its harness as it tried to escape. Kathryn fought against it, beginning to be a little frightened herself at the animal's odd behaviour.

The wind was picking up around them, still hot and dry, making the ash and small debris around them whirl in the air.

Kathryn looked around her uncertainly, dread beginning to make her stomach heavy.

And then a shadow fell over the broken city. Slowly, Kathryn turned her eyes towards the heavens.

A dragon was soaring above Dale.

Kathryn felt a feeling build up inside of her, something she had never felt before. It filled her whole body, making her insides shake, her mind going white as all other thoughts were banished from her mind save for this _thing_ inside her. Terror. It was absolute, undeniable terror: the kind of mind-rending fear that overtakes one when they see something so totally beyond their comprehension, that it leaves them quaking as they gaze upon their own certain death. The force was so strong in Kathryn it was making her physically shake, her knees wobbling and going weak; it pushed against the walls and confines of her body, it had to escape, she knew it, or it would make her explode.

She screamed.

The answering roar shook the very foundations of the remaining buildings around her, sending dust into the air and bricks and timbers to come crashing down; it deafened her, until she could hear a high pitch whine in the air as her eardrums threatened to break. And unable to stand it any longer, Kathryn turned and ran.

The monstrous form from above descended upon the city.

Kathryn ran through the streets, turning and twisting through the alleys, leaping over fallen rubble, she was numb to everything around her except the one goal in her mind: to escape the creature hunting her. She tried to lose him by ducking through buildings, trying to keep out of sight but constantly moving, keeping to the small thin places where it could not reach her.

It didn't matter, for always she heard the boom of its wings as it followed her.

Another roar blasted through the sky and Kathryn screamed again as she ducked in the opposite direction, almost tripping herself up in her attempt to evade the dragon.

Suddenly the very ground shook, the shockwave so powerful that it literally sent the woman flying, and she tumbled through the dirt until she came to a halt. She scrambled to her feet, ignoring the fact that the world was still shifting around her as her head spun. She quickly sprinted into an alleyway, going in so deep until the walls pressed against her on either side.

She then heard the rhythmic boom, and then the accompanying shake of the earth as the creature walked. It was now on the ground, and stalking towards her.

Panic threatened to completely consume her, crawling up her throat like bile until it was on the edge of her tongue. With a gasp she forced it back down beneath the surface; it would only get her killed if she lost control of herself now.

She felt the footsteps closer than ever before, and then saw that her alleyway was about to come to an abrupt end, levelling out into what might have once been a town square. Skidding to a halt, Kathryn pushed herself against the wall, her chest heaving as she struggled to regain her breath, her heart pounding in her ears, the blood rushing through her veins until her head was throbbing and it almost hurt.

The boom of footsteps stopped as well, and Kathryn clasped her hands over her mouth to try and stifle the noise of her breathing. She looked up as a shadow blocked out the sun; the gigantic head of the dragon was poised high above the buildings, the sun right behind him casting the only side of him that she could see into darkness, so that he was just a black mass against the world. The dragon arched its neck, eyes obviously peering across the courtyard and surrounding roads and buildings. She heard his nostrils flaring as he scented the air, trying to sniff her out. Kathryn felt her heart quaking inside of her, tears threatening to burn her eyes with terror.

She looked out from her hiding place over the square, quickly evaluating what she should do. She saw one building off to the right, it was mostly intact, its great walls seeming to look thick and strong. The domed roof seemed to indicate it as a place of worship; perhaps it would have a trapdoor to a cellar. It wasn't much but it was her only chance.

She watched as the dragon continued to scan for any sign of movement, she knew she only had a matter of moments, maybe minuets if she was lucky, before it found her. She waited… watching him move until his head was twisted to the left just enough…

She ran.

At the sound of her footsteps, the dragon snapped his head back to her, and roared as he gave chase. Kathryn had never run so hard in all her life, it was as if in a dream when one felt like their legs were not moving anywhere at all. A scream slowly built up in her throat with each frantic step, she was going so fast she almost ploughed straight into the wall.

She threw open the door and launched herself inside, slamming it behind her as the dragon came up to the building.

Sprinting through the rows of pews, Kathryn heaved a breath as her legs began to feel like lead, the muscles in her thighs burning against the sudden use. She heard the dragon roar outside, the building quaking from the sheer power of his voice.

Crumbling by the alter, Kathryn threw up tables and shrines until she found a small trap door in the floor. Praising all the gods known and unknown, she took the iron ring and heaved, but the door wouldn't budge. Eyes wide in panic, Kathryn heaved with all her might, trying to force the thing open but it wouldn't –

With an explosion of sound, the whole front of the temple caved in on itself, bricks were sent flying, timber and roof tiles rained down as the great dragon tore the building apart with a mere flick of his powerful tail.

Kathryn screamed as more of the roof came down around her, debris pelting her as she dove for cover under one of the tables, dust heavy in the air until it made her cough, her lungs begging for air as if she were underwater. She could hardly see through the smoke and dust, but heard the dragon growling, could hear the building coming apart around her, the crashing of brick and wood falling to the ground.

Then, a final piece of the roof gave way and fell onto the small shelter Kathryn hid under. The beams and blocks hit her table, with a force hard enough to make its legs snap. The top fell onto the poor woman, the weight not crushing her, but pinned her to the floor as she felt the weight on her back, grinding her bones as she groaned and cried out in pain.

A stone fell from the rubble, hitting her in the back of the head; she felt pain flash across her skull and then, she was sent into the darkness of oblivion.

* * *

Smaug snorted, his hot breath clearing the dust from his nose. Such a pathetic display of fortitude, to think that this building could stand up against him? He who had destroyed this city once already, this was past its prime, it had snapped like a twig under his strength. It had been a serious error on the part of his quarry to hide in here, it had only stopped him for but a moment.

_Speaking of which…_

With a growl still rumbling through his chest, Smaug snorted again, the wind driving off the dust as he stepped over the debris, timber cracking under his weight, stone crumbling beneath his claws. He could smell his prey: a human, female, young, somewhere within the waste of the building.

He followed his senses to the back, his eyes scanning the debris for signs of pathetic mortal flesh, perhaps cowering in the corner, weeping for whatever good it would do, he was almost curious as to why she wasn't screaming yet, as her kind always seemed to do when threatened. Screaming was a pointless show of weakness for mortals who couldn't understand their own insignificance.

He heard her breathing, faintly, as if in slumber. He flicked the talons of one forepaw over the rubble, brushing aside beams and bricks until he found her. He saw her hand and the side of her face peeking out from underneath a collapsed table with debris scattered around her, her eyes closed, he could smell the blood from a wound on the back of her head which had knocked her unconscious. He sometimes wondered how mortals ever survived with how frail they were. With a lazy flick of a talon he cleared the debris off of her, gazing down at her petite form: a dress in rags, her feet bare, her ivory skin and red hair were dirtied and smeared with dust, dirt and soot. But he did not care for her mortal beauty, it was the voice she possessed that had called him down from the mountain, and it was this voice that he hunted.

He scooped her up, encasing her in a cage made by the talons of one forepaw, even his fingers dwarfed her in comparison. He had to almost remind himself not to hold on too tight encase he crushed her in his grasp, but no matter.

Turning around, he stretched his giant wings, casting a black shadow over the world as he blocked out the sun. he launched himself into the sky, the beating of his wings cracking like thunder, the wind beneath him like a hurricane as the only sign of his passing.


	3. Chapter 3 - An Unlikely Arrangement

**Author's Note: Hey guys! **

**Can I just put this out there, that I am REALLY, really pleased with the response to this! I'm literally bouncing around my house with joy! **

**Okay, but on a serious note, I'm looking for someone to do me a good cover image for this story, because I'm gonna just say I'm crap and digital art, picture mash up etc. (god I hope I don't sound like a twat asking this). Just want something from the fans for the fans (cause although currently Smaug's eye is awesome and sexy I want something more then just a picture off of google). thanks, hope my needy demanding don't put people off.**

**Please Read, Enjoy and Review!**

* * *

Chapter 3 – An Unlikely Arrangement

"She wields the broken sword, and separates true kings from tyrants. Of what do I speak? Mercy"

Kathryn slowly came to as the light behind her eyelids vanished for a moment, replaced by darkness, she could hear a thunderous, rhythmic beat, like that of wings, and she could feel air that whipped her hair around her face. She was then aware of a squeezing presence crushing her, pinning her arms against her sides, making it slightly difficult to breathe. She tried to move, tried to push against her confines, her eyes still closed as her mind still stayed in the land of slumber. As if in response to her protests, the pressure around her constricted slightly, like the coils of a snake tightening its grip on its victim.

She felt panic make her heart flutter, she wanted to snap herself awake, to jump up, shake off the dream, but her head was pounding with pain, she could feel her hair twisting and knotting around some sticky substance at the back of her skull.

There was a cacophony of sound as something crashed, a shockwave going out, the thing that held Kathryn gave slightly to take the force of the blow, jarring her and making her bones rattle. That if not anything awoke her.

She opened her eyes and was assaulted by a golden glow, at first she couldn't make sense of anything, just yellow light all around her, overcast by a deep shadow in which she was in. But –

Suddenly she was moving, a pounding all around her, making the golden mass around her ripple from the force of each strike. Kathryn was jostled about and she prayed that whatever was holding her would keep a tight hold on her. There was a deep, pulsating growl which shook the very air around her, and Kathryn looked up to see what had made the noise –

She only got to see a blur of red and black and gold as she was suddenly lifted up and tossed carelessly into a giant bird cage that hung from a heavy thick chain that disappeared to somewhere up in the high ceiling.

Kathryn hissed in pain as she was thrown inside, her back digging into the bars on the far wall, the metal cold, hard, and unyielding to her soft flesh. Scrambling to her knees, Kathryn gripped the bars and stared out beyond her prison…

… And stared in wonder…

She was in a huge chamber, perhaps several hundred feet high, so high that it was too dark for her to see the very top; the camber was mostly circular although it had many different odd angles that cut jagged edges like that of a rock face. But the chamber itself was flooded with gold. There were mountains of it, so much that she couldn't see the floor, piles and piles like the dunes of a desert. A glow seemed to emit from the vast treasure below, giving the chamber a warm light enough to illuminate the vast cavern. Kathryn was utterly bewildered by what she saw, her mouth open in a state of awe: amongst the gold were precious gems of diamond, emerald, ruby and sapphire, fantastic shining suites of armour stood proudly, glittering without a single dent or scratch, tapestries sewn with every colour known to man, and everything else that glittered and sparkled.

It quite literally took her breath away.

A blur of darkness passed her, and suddenly, Kathryn was met with a huge glowing eye right in front of her face. She shrieked and scooted back until her spine was pressed into the bars of the cage behind her; she stared in wide eyed horror at the gigantic reptilian head that leaned back on a long neck so that it could peer at her with cold slit-pupil eyes. A great dragon was poised before her, its scales the crimson red of blood, its underbelly as gold as the treasure around it.

Slowly, the memories filtered back through into Kathryn's mind: the ruined city, the dragon attack, hiding in the temple, and then the dragon breaking apart the city as it hunted her –

Kathryn inhaled sharply as her sight suddenly blacked, searing pain striking across her skull. She saw flashing images of – **_hungry eyes, – of black talons and blood red scales, – of a heavy chain – _**

Just as quickly as it came on, the vision faded, and Kathryn was back in her body, her brain aching and throbbing from the force of the vision. It didn't seem to be that any time had passed, and thankfully the dragon hadn't noticed her moment of weakness. This puzzled her, her visions were never that short, flashing images such as that could take several minutes in realty. But this had lasted only a few milliseconds.

The dragon studied her, its burning eyes piercing into her soul.

_Oh gods_… she thought with a sickening lurch on her heart, _this is where I die…_

"So," the dragon spoke, its voice deep and powerful like the thunder, but he articulated his words almost perfectly, the growl in his voice adding to the ferocity as his teeth snapped together as he spoke. "The Songbird has finally awoken,"

Kathryn felt herself quake at the sound of that enormous voice, making her knees tremble as she pushed herself harder into the bars of the cage, as if she could melt away from the creature's sight. As quick as her panicked mind would allow, she tried to recall every superstition, rumour, and bit of knowledge she had ever heard about dragons.

_Do not look completely in their eye_s, you could fall underneath the dragon-spell and be at their mercy. _Don't give them your name_, it gives them power over you and those you love. _They are extremely intelligent_, able to outwit any opponent, but they love solving puzzles, which was why they loved deciphering riddles, for when they solved them it gave their ego a boost like none other. _This meant they were ultimately vain creature_s, who enjoyed the play to their ego. _And dragons' covert gold with a dark and fierce desire_, and will guard their horde with a deadly ferocity for as long as they lived.

Kathryn didn't know if any of these were true or if they were superstitious nonsense, but at that moment it was all she had to go on. But this was Smaug the Magnificent, Smaug the terrible, Smaug the golden, Smaug the Mighty: one of the greatest dragons of the age, and Kathryn had a feeling that he would not be categorised as simply as that.

There was a long silence as they both stared at each other, Smaug studying the creature before him and Kathryn unable to break the silence from the emotion that weighed heavily in her throat like a scrunched up rag, almost choking her.

"You are human, female," the dragon said, that voice booming around her, sending tremors down her spine. "But you are new, I have never smelled you before," the way he looked at her, as if she were a hunk of meat left in the sun for him to feast upon, it made her heart falter with terror.

"F-f-forgive me, oh mighty Smaug," Kathryn said, her words stumbling as she tried to control her chattering teeth. "I did not mean to trespass upon your territory, I meant no offence to your almighty glory,"

"You have nice manners for one so stupid as to come so close to my lair," the dragon's lips distorted as he formed the words, and Kathryn found herself staring as she tried to look anywhere but his eyes. He then narrowed his gaze, trying to get her to look into his hypnotic fiery eyes to come under his spell. "You know my name but I am not acquainted with yours,"

"I-I have none," Kathryn mumbled.

"_Liar_." Smaug hissed, he could practically smell her deceit from the spike in her scent, and he could hear the flutter of her heart. He growled menacingly at her, his lip curling to reveal his long, serrated teeth, his breath hot and fuming with his anger. Kathryn jumped out of her skin, her hands shaking as she tried to think of something to say, but her mind went blank, this creature inspiring such awe inducing terror in her soul.

"No - please!" she stammered. "Please forgive me; what I meant... was that none have called me by the name of my birth for so long it has faded from the minds of others," she hoped that would be truthful enough to satisfy him but vague enough to not give herself away.

Smaug watched her, his eyes narrowing as he tried to detect if she were lying to him again, but could not sense it about her. Instead he focused his glowing eyes back onto her, still trying to make her catch his eye though she kept on dodging his direct gaze by respectfully looking at his shoulder or at his mouth. Oh, what a wonderful game this was turning out to be…

"You do realise that anyone else who has even come _half_ as close as you, were punished greatly for the crime," he allowed his voice to dip back into the growl, revelling in the way her body shook with the vibrations.

"Oh Smaug the Magnificent," Kathryn said reverently, doing her best to play to his ego as she kneeled before him, although still as far away from him as the cage would allow her. "Please, I know that my mortal life is nothing compared to your superiority, ask me any payment to how I have wronged you so, and you shall have it,"

"You will sing," the dragon commanded, leaning back to look at her lazily.

"What?!" she squawked, unable to control herself, her eyes widening in panic. As the dragons eyes bulged in outrage at her protest, she quickly hurried to cover her mistake. "F-Forgive me, oh great Smaug," she said hurriedly, bowing her head for added effect. "You merely surprise me by asking such a trivial task of me, surely I am… unworthy? This voice cannot compare to that of a dragon such as yourself,"

The dragon snorted dismissively, but seemed to be soothed by her flattery.

"You words are meaningless," Smaug said. "If I wanted to sing to myself, then you would not be alive – your voice is the only reason you are breathing," his eyes practically glinted as he watched her shiver with fright.

"Surely you can't mean –"

"As you can see, I am a…_ collector_ of all things precious and surround myself with nothing but the best," he smirked as he gestured to his vast horde with a sweep of his long tail. "To have the greatest voice in Middle-Earth, one that shall be mine alone until the end of days…"

"N-no," Kathryn mumbled, almost too low for him to hear, all the blood suddenly draining from her face as Smaug told her of her fate: to be trapped in this pit for eternity. The terror that seized her being was enough to make her reckless and stupid as she leaned forward. "No! you can't –"

" I _can't_?!" he hissed. "I am **SMAUG**!" the dragon roared suddenly, so loud that Kathryn was knocked back and covered her ears as the sound assaulted her hearing. Smaug sneered down at her, his eyes alight with blazing glory. "I kill where I wish, and NONE may stand against me. And now," the dragon added in a deep growl as he leaned closer to the cage, a sadistic gleam in his eye. "You belong to me!"

Kathryn lay there, huddled on the floor of her cage, unable to breathe as she watched the monstrous head leering above her, pinning her to the floor with his gaze.

"You exist because I allow it, and you will sing because I demand it," Smaug then leaned in closer, until his scaly cheek was almost touching the bars of the cage as one eye peered down at her. "Test my patience _human_ and I will alter that fact,"

Kathryn stared into nothing, tears stinging her eyes as her lips trembled… her life, her freedom, even her identity, it had all been smashed away by this… this…

Taking advantage of her shocked stupor, Smaug positioned his head so that she had nowhere to look but his eyes. Instantly she felt her will completely leave her, her spine stiffening and her soul bending as her mind was completely overtaken by the force of the dragon-spell, forcing her to bend to his will.

"Now," Smaug almost purred as his victory was almost assured. "Tell me your name…"

"Kathryn," she murmured in a voice that sounded hollow and devoid of any life at all.

"_Kathryn_…" the dragon smirked as he chewed the word over in his mouth, as if he were savouring the taste of his dominion over her.

Suddenly he turned away, and Kathryn could no longer see him, ending the effects of the dragon-spell upon her mind; and she was left to crumble to the floor of her cage, weeping silently.

* * *

A day passed and Kathryn remained in her cage suspended from the ceiling, hanging above the horde and the dragon bellow. In that whole time Kathryn simply stared at the floor of her prison, her breathing slow and deep. She wanted to break, she wanted to tear herself apart, to cast away her sanity so that she would no longer be in a state of mind to care about herself or anything else.

Smaug simply slept, burrowing himself deep into his horde, his growling breath almost turning into a satisfied purr as he allowed the gold and jewels to cascade over him, almost concealing his massive bulk from view. He left Kathryn alone for the whole night after their little "introduction", and surprisingly slept through the whole day. Kathryn didn't move, didn't make a noise, she just sat and watched.

Last night she had thankfully been too exhausted to dream, after she sobbed and wept her heart out as quietly as she could, she'd simply fallen unconscious from the stresses of the day. But she didn't know how she would survive if she had to face her visions here, when she needed to be on alert for as long as possible. She could already feel the throbbing in her skull, much like the headache she had had in the city, the only precursor to the vision. Where that had taken days to gather momentum, this one was only taking hours, quickly gaining speed, and Kathryn was oddly frightened about what would happen when it did come.

Her stomach gave a loud rumble but she ignored it. Her body clock told her that it was coming up for sunset, she'd gone a full day in this blasted cage, and already she was sick of it. She heard a sudden break in the soft snoring below her, as Smaug began to stir from his slumber. Quickly looking at the floor so that the dragon couldn't make her look in his eyes, her heart fluttered briefly with fear and then… oddly calmed.

Smaug lifted his gigantic head, a confident sneer on his face as he leaned in to look at his prisoner.

"Sing," he commanded, his voice so loud at such a deep frequency it made the bars of the cage rattle. Kathryn closed her eyes, feeling her shoulders shudder slightly with the threat of tears from the reminder of the paralysing fear inside of her. But she managed to breath just enough, closing her eyes for good measure so that she could not look at him.

"No," she murmured.

Smaug blinked, stunned for the briefest moment that someone had _dared_ to defy him so openly. And then a rage came over him, he growled, lips peeling back to reveal his teeth, smoke curling from his nostrils threateningly.

But Kathryn felt oddly calm. She had once promised herself that she would never again be imprisoned for her curse, she'd suffered enough of it at her parents hands, she wouldn't be put through that misery again. And yet, here she was. And to know that it was either this or death, to know that she would die anyway… somehow that felt oddly freeing.

"No," she said again, still not even lifting her head to acknowledge he was right there in front of her.

"You will do as I _command!_" Smaug snarled, his eyes practically glowing like molten fire with rage.

"How can a bird that is born to fly sit in a cage and sing?" Kathryn remarked to him dryly. Smaug hissed and snapped his jaws together just a hair's breadth from the bars of the cage, and Kathryn couldn't help but tremble as she felt his breath roll over, as if he were trying any way he could to reach her.

"The bird will sing because I will break her legs if she doesn't – she does not need to walk to sing!"

"Then kill me," she spat.

Smaug growled savagely at her, but then suddenly stopped. Kathryn peeked out from between the strands of her red curly hair, to see that Smaug was simply staring intently at her, as if he could force her to obey him with the sheer power of his gaze alone.

"_Kathryn,_" his voice was so deep, it was more like the rumble of thunder over the hills. Kathryn felt her spine shiver, her body going stiff as the dragon worked his magic over her name. "Sing,"

Kathryn's mind protested for a moment, she couldn't give in, she wouldn't have her freewill taken from her, she wouldn't! But she had no choice…

She wouldn't let him have the satisfaction of ruling over her, and an idea came to her head…

"_You granted me creation. You gave me tools of destruction._

_The choice, the path lies there behind you. Please let me by._

_You knew we'd turn almost anywhere, now you let me kneel beside you._

_We released our minds, we laughed at time._

_Let's not stop now, our emotions are running high – _"

She sang the words, barely going along with the tune, but it wasn't the same, she did not allow her emotion into the song, she denied her heart, she refused to let her soul into the song. It was difficult, and to her own ears it sounded awful, merely her singing the words but mechanically: there was no life.

But she got no further then the first verse when Smaug roared in rage, he knew what she was doing, and she felt the heat of his furious stare upon her, she almost felt it burn her! He smacked his head against the cage, making it shake and swing slightly, the movement so sudden and violent that Kathryn was thrown to the ground. She pushed herself up, leaping at the bars of her cage, her eyes stinging with tears, her teeth bared as she wished she would rile him just enough; _by the gods, please may it be enough – let him kill me!_

"Go ahead!" she screeched.

Smaug watched her, his eyes glaring at her, his lips quivering as he struggled to remain in control of himself enough, he wanted to hear her pathetically plead for his mercy; as soon as this little insubordination was over he would remind her why he was King under the Mountain and she would beg for his forgiveness!

"Kill me!" she hissed at him, You're not – ARGH!"

Suddenly the woman screamed, falling back away from the bars landing heavily on the floor, her hands clawed at her head, pulling a few strands of hair from her scalp as she writhed in agony on the floor. Needless to say Smaug was a little taken aback by the sudden change in events. He watched with curiosity as she thrashed on the floor, her sides heaving as she hissed out every breath, smashing her hands down upon the floor of the cage, the bones grinding together from the impact, and she pushed them down away from her face so that they wouldn't hurt her. She kept screaming in tortured agony, her back arching into the air as her body contorted.

Then she no longer screamed, she froze, her body as taught as a bow-string. Smaug saw her muscles trembling to keep her suspended, but he saw her face… Her head kept twitching into a different angle, though her eyes were constantly on the same spot. Her eyes, they were now merely orbs of violet, practically glowing as power coursed through her, Smaug could practically smell it reeking off of her in waves. Her lips kept moving, racing over words that she barely managed to say, her voice no more than a whisper, but he heard her. His eyes slowly widened as he recognised the language with which she spoke. It was an ancient tongue, far older than the many speeches of men or elves, it hailed from the ancient days, days that only creatures of magic knew. It was the language of magic itself. Only a select few knew such a language now, those that were infused with the power, mainly dragons, spirits, perhaps even the creator of the Rings, the only other thing that could speak such was…

… _A Seer_…

At the realisation, Smaug couldn't help but grin. _By the Ether…_ he couldn't possibly be so lucky; what were the chances that the one human life that he allowed to live and possessed was a seer. The practise was all but gone, those born with the gift were extremely rare indeed. This was extremely fortunate, with a seer Smaug could see into the future, he could know how and when his enemies would come – if they ever had the backbone – he would become almost invincible!

So he waited patiently as he watched the human as her mind scrambled through the vision, the smirk on his face widening as rumbled with satisfaction.

Despite just asking for her death, the human had just increased her chances of survival…

* * *

_Kathryn's mind whirled as she was assaulted on all fronts, her head felt like someone had cracked open her skull, whispers surrounded her, images flashed before her eyes so fast it made her eyes ache. It was like she was falling through space and time, different pieces of history zooming past her, as if she were flipping, skimming through the pages of a book until she landed hard in the right place._

_Kathryn lay on the floor, her breathing coming hard and fast as she tried to make sense of her world. Her mind physically ached as she tried make sense of this world, half of her knew it was a vision whilst another part accepted it as truth, the two realities clashing together until she was almost succumbing to the pain. _

_But as she looked around, for some reason this seemed different, in previous visions she was dumped at a specific moment, either it be the past present or future if it was deemed important enough. But this…_

_She was in a large space, there was nothing around her, nothing for miles and miles, infinity stretching out beyond the horizon, yet she felt confined as if she were in a small dungeon. The sky was dark, only just allowing the barest light through the storm clouds that rumbled overhead. And she was on water. But no, it couldn't be, she was standing on water, she could feel it, saw it drift against her legs as she moved, but she did not get wet._

_Suddenly, she felt a cold grip around her throat, and looked up with a gasp, her breath suddenly short. Her hands clasped around a thick heavy chain made of gold that threatened to drag her down as it was connected to a cuff that was locked into place around her neck. Feeling panic begin to engulf her, Kathryn tried with desperate fingers to pull it open but it would not budge._

_Something pulled against the chain, causing Kathryn to stumble slightly to regain her balance, and she looked up to see what had dragged her._

_Her mouth fell open as she saw a man standing before her, utterly naked, he was almost seven feet tall, his body well defined, his muscles strong, his tanned skin looked as hard as rough leather, his muscles corded and ready to strike. He held her chain in one hand, and Kathryn felt herself begin to hyperventilate as her heart began to race as she saw his right hand was distorted! His nails were thick black talons and rough red scales bloomed along his fingers and knuckles, his hand was bent out of shape and twisted to form a reptilian hand. As she looked up, Kathryn saw more scale blooming like veins across his skin as they grew up his arm, onto his shoulder, crawling across his chest and up his neck to meld with the right side of his face. The cheek bone became more angular, the jaw became much thicker, the eye socket distorting. She couldn't see his eyes as his short black hair cast his eyes in shadow. Then he looked up at her, and Kathryn froze as she saw eyes like molten fire blazing as he stared at her. _

_Her mouth opened to scream, but nothing came out other than a silent squeak, Kathryn clawed at her chain, and amazingly she managed to get a grip on it and with all her strength she tore it off of her neck. _

_There was an explosion of light as she was suddenly free, and then Kathryn heard a blood curdling scream. She looked over, frozen as she saw the man bent over, his arms wrapped around himself as if he were holding himself together, he was screaming a sound of agony and heartbreak as he looked at her, those eyes fixed on her and the look that passed over them… Kathryn felt herself hold her breath as her heart suddenly moved._

_A single tear rolled down the man's cheek, slipping onto his bare chest and Kathryn saw a deep wound on his left breast, closest to his heart. She looked at him, her heart suddenly moved to pity as she watched him scream. Tears were streaming down her face as she watched him, and he watched her, his eyes pleading with her, begging her… but for what she did not know. _

_With another cry of anguish, a drop of the man's blood slipped from his chest and touched the water. Immediately fire blazed, racing across the surface of the water like lit oil, creating a web of flames that separated Kathryn from the man. She wanted to help him, she couldn't stand to watch him burn! She saw him go down, writhing from the pain, and she went to help him, holding a hand up to shield herself from the flames as –_

_As soon as she took a step, Kathryn felt the solid standing beneath her feet vanish, and she plunged into the water. _

_She couldn't see the light, couldn't seem to reach the surface, it was as if she had suddenly forgotten how to swim. She kicked against the heavy water, flailed her arms, all the while her lungs burned for air, and she couldn't stand it! _

_The darkness began to seep into her vision, and Kathryn was screaming for air, for something to allow her to emerge from this inky blackness, her movements became lethargic, her heartbeat began to slow…_

_Before she lost consciousness, she took one last look to the depths._

_The form of a gigantic dragon rose up from the darkness to swallow her whole._

* * *

Kathryn gagged, spluttering and coughing as she came crashing back into her body.

She rolled over onto her side, heaving and gasping down air as if she had just actually drowned; her eyes were wide with fear as her body quivered with exhaustion.

It took her several minutes before her heart would finally slow down and she managed to form some semblance of calm.

That was when she noticed her strange flooring.

Looking down in confusion, Kathryn saw that she was lying on a bed of gold coins, the hard metal pushing up into her body uncomfortably. She didn't understand, she had been in a cage of iron, the gold had always been far below her. If she was now on that gold then that meant… that meant…

_Oh shit._

She felt a warm breath on her back, and flipping herself onto her back, Kathryn saw Smaug standing above her, his eyes gleaming as he watched her with a smirk. Scrambling back away from him, she raised an arm to shield herself automatically, cowering away from him.

But Smaug didn't make a move. He just stared at her.

Kathryn watched him, although not looking into his eyes, and Smaug didn't actually try to pin her gaze either. Her breathing shivered as she waited for something to happen. He must have wanted to kill her, why else would he…

"What are you going to do to me?" she asked, her voice low and hoarse from the exertion, whether from the burn of the water down her throat in the vision or the fact that she spoke in tongues when succumbed to one, she knew not. Smaug chuckled, the sound seeming to come from everywhere, quaking like an avalanche. It was not a humorous sound.

"'How can a bird that is born to fly sit in a cage and sing?'" he quoted her, deflecting from her question, Kathryn found it increasingly unsettling. The dragon then leaned his head in closer to her, until his face was all that she could see, and all that she could comprehend. "Except, you're not just a bird, you are a _Seer_." He narrowed his eyes at her.

"Y-yes," Kathryn whispered dejectedly, sure that he had sought an answer from her.

At her reply, Smaug smirked again triumphantly, his teeth glinting as they were just visible behind his scaly lips.

"What are you going to do with me?" Kathryn asked again, not wanting to go through all this bullshit. If she was going to die, then so be it, if not then…

"I offer you a bargain," Smaug raised an eyebrow at her, his look almost condescending as he watched her arrogantly. "You will stay here, you belong to me, you will obey me, and you will not leave. In return, I will not put you back in that cage,"

Kathryn stared at him, wondering if she could believe this. She knew she couldn't trust him, he could lie to her so easily and she would never know the difference. She wanted to defy him, to make him angry again, to make him so furious he killed her in an uncontrollable rage. Wouldn't that be preferable? Surely this was only swapping one form of imprisonment for another? This cage was large and spacious and rather glamorous, but a gilded cage was still a cage.

She was about to refuse, but something made her stop. She saw those eyes from her vision, like liquid fire that burned with need, with agony, with heartache. Kathryn was sure that the vision she had had, had somehow related to her current situation, but she was unsure how those eyes could ever belong to Smaug. But something made her wonder, made her pause… something about that vision linked her to this mighty creature, if not the chain of gold, then those eyes…

And if ever the saying "curiosity killed the cat" was right, then it was probably true of her. For to sate her own curiosity, she bartered away her soul.

"Deal."


	4. Chapter 4 - A Dangerous Game

**Author's Note: Hey everyone! Wanted to use this opportunity to thank ****Ellie's Imagination World**** for helping me get the right song for this chapter, and for helping me with my mistakes in previous chapters. I am on my knees worshipping her brilliance!**

**Tell me what you think of the song. Hope you guys like this chapter, please read, enjoy and Review! :)**

* * *

Chapter 4 – A Dangerous Game

"No man has seen it, but all men know it. Lighter than air, sharper than any sword. Comes from nothing, but will fell the strongest armies. Of what do I speak? – Hunger"

A week passed in the mountain, and Kathryn was very much regretting her decision.

Smaug was nothing if not a tyrant; he demanded every wish and desire be met exactly as he wanted when he asked for it. He made sure that she knew he was the undisputed "King of the Mountain" here.

The days were rather simple: in the morning Kathryn would awaken and do her best to occupy herself, mostly by exploring her new… "Living arrangement". She had known that the chamber she was in was massive, but by exploring she realised that it was absolutely enormous! If she didn't know any better than she would say that the mountain had been hollowed out and this was the result, but despite this massive chamber she knew that there was so much more both above and below her. She had been curious to say the least: a chance to explore the lost dwarf kingdom of Erebor? Who wouldn't? But she was no fool, Smaug would never let her go wandering off, it would give her too much of an opportunity to escape.

Smaug usually slept for most of the day; at first Kathryn had thought that odd, that he would trust that she wouldn't run off whilst he slept. But she was soon proven wrong: Smaug didn't trust her at all, he was simply completely confident that she wouldn't _dare_, and that if she did then he would stop her. His presence alone was enough to deter her; whilst he was physically there she would never be so stupid as to even try.

When he did awaken however, Kathryn was almost shocked senseless to see him _leave_! She had at first thought it was some sick, twisted sense of humour: that he would go to see what she would do once he left her alone. Perhaps that was true the first time, and Kathryn hadn't moved from her spot encase it was. He had only been gone an hour, perhaps less, when she heard his thunderous wing-beats somewhere close by – perhaps at the front gates where he could easily come in and out. Not five minutes later he was back in the central chamber of the horde with her, his jaw set slightly ajar, and Kathryn had wondered suspiciously what he was doing. He had then settled back down onto his precious gold, opening his mouth to reveal a plump deer, huge holes in its sides where his teeth had almost torn it apart with one bite. It was barely more than a mouthful for him, but he had quickly chewed at the meet; Kathryn shivered and cringed when she heard the bones grating painfully and then snapping like twigs under his strength. She had looked back to see Smaug's eyes glitter maliciously, he'd seen her reaction, and therefore did it on purpose, watching her, enjoying the uneasiness he placed upon her. Once he was done, he had then tossed her the scraps.

Kathryn had been absolutely disgusted, shocked and confused all at the same time, it had left her frozen, unable to function as she tried to wrap her head around this. Smaug had only given her a few rib splinters with meat still clinging to them; the heat of his breath alone had been enough to cook the meat to an acceptable degree.

That's when Kathryn understood: he'd hunted that day not to satisfy his hunger – for surely he would need something substantially larger to fill him – but to provide for _her_. He could perhaps go weeks without eating, months probably, Kathryn didn't have such a luxury. So this was him making sure his latest addition to his horde was well enough to be of use to him. He had eaten first – the alpha male demanding that he take the spoils and she was left with the scraps.

She'd eaten gratefully, mumbling a little thanks, though the dragon gave no indication that he had heard her. He simply cleaned his scales of blood and filth, checking from every angle to make sure that they were perfectly clean, and then cleaned the gold around him of blood so that it shone brightly. The meat didn't fill her, but it was enough to keep the bite of hunger away.

After Smaug finished, he would demand that she sing to him, and she would comply, as was their agreement. After all, he had said so himself, her voice was the only reason she was still alive, so if she wanted to survive then she had to sing. She tried to sing a different song every time, hoping that he wouldn't easily get bored with her. When she finished a song he would then sleep, he snores echoing around the massive chamber like the roar of the sea. He wouldn't wake again until the next day when the cycle would begin again; unless Kathryn disturbed him.

She had only done so once, on the first night. Realising as the night drew in, that she would need to sleep eventually, she calmed herself to try and go through her usual nightly routine, although in her current circumstances… she would have to improvise.

She'd gone to one of the massive columns that helped to hold up the ceiling, and found the heavy chains that held up old chandeliers long out of use and other cages like the one she had been held in. Her time on the road had made her nothing if not inventive. Taking a hold of her sleeves, she tugged on them as hard as she could, gritting her teeth until she felt the seams tear at the shoulder. She'd done the same with the other arm, and as she used to do, she tied the rags securely to the chains, tugging on them to test and make sure that they wouldn't come undone or tear apart. She then made a noose in each; this would secure her hands, but she'd have to make do with her feet being free. But as for her mouth, she picked up the hem of her travelling dress and tore at the bottom, the wear and tear of the last two days was enough to make it easy to break apart. She then gagged herself, once again not too intrusive to make her uncomfortable, but enough to silence her. She then put her back against the column and put her hands through the nooses, pulling on them until they were tight.

Not only had the sounds of tearing clothes alerted Smaug, making him open one glowing eye to regard her with disdain as he watched. But when she got into the familiar bonds, as she always did she felt the fear spike through her body as adrenaline was dumped into her bloodstream, the feeling of entrapment making her almost panic. Smaug could smell her fear, but not of him, and it interested him as he watched her pathetic little show as she settled herself in her bonds. Feeling his gaze upon her, she'd looked over to see him staring at her, watching suspiciously and with bewilderment as if to say _"what in the world are you doing?"_ she'd ignored him, trying to get herself comfortable as she readied herself for sleep.

But she never did get much sleep, only short fits and spurts. Her nerves were constantly on edge, the last vision that had assaulted her had completely shaken her up. That vision was more metaphorical, it unnerved her that she not only had to watch out for the visions of the past, present and future, but now also the symbolic? She still couldn't figure out what that vision meant, and she didn't want to dwell on it encase she was brought back to it. Not only did she desperately not want another vision, but she was never comfortable, the stonework of the column was hardly good for sleeping, and she constantly had to wake up in order to shift again.

Her lack of sleep may also have had something to do with the gigantic, deadly, fire-breathing DRAGON sleeping somewhere not far off. His snoring was a constant reminder of his presence, the heat of him, and the stink of his breath kept him constantly on her mind. A part of her dared not sleep encase he should decide to have a midnight snack at some point – even when she knew he wanted her alive for his own reasons. Not that she could do anything to stop him if he tried.

And then she would awaken the next day and the cycle would begin again.

But the lack of decent food, water, sleep and the ever present danger was wearing down on her stability. And soon it came down to two options: either her body would break, or her mind would.

On the third day, Kathryn had been driven almost to the point of insanity by thirst. She hated the sight of the beautiful gold coins, precious jewels and other treasures gathered around her, for there was nothing among them that could keep off her hunger, her thirst, her fatigue and her loneliness.

But then she heard a sound, a sound that she almost questioned to her slow decent into madness, but still persisted. It was the constant _tap, tap, tap_ of water.

Kathryn felt her mouth salivate and the thirst in the back of her throat made her voice feel like sandpaper. It was raining outside, and the water had travelled down through the wreckage of the fortress and was gathering somewhere close by… water! She was no longer able to think clear, coherent thoughts, the only thing that she knew was that there was water and she had to reach it!

Stumbling and tripping over her own feet as she walked across the dunes of gold and treasure that shifted slightly like sand under her weight, but held enough for her to walk. She was half stumbling half running for the back of the chamber, it seemed to take forever until she finally saw the stairs that led to the doors that led out to the rest of the fortress. She could see the water dripping into a puddle just outside the door, sliding off of broken timber, debris and even the formation of the rocks, joy filled her heart at –

With an almighty "BOOM", a huge reptilian tail came smashing down just a few feet in front of Kathryn, the force was so great it actually cracked the thick stone of the stairs. Kathryn shrieked as she tried to stop herself before she hit the monstrous appendage, tripping over her own feet and falling to the floor heavily as she tried to scoot away from her assailant.

She then felt a crushing force around her body as gigantic talons wrapped around her and lifted her into the air. Kathryn screamed as the ground left her, and she was tossed carelessly back into the room. She bounced on the gold, the pain searing her side as she rolled to a stop. Gasping for air from her winded lungs, she felt the room shake as Smaug walked to stand over her, his eyes blazing with cold anger.

Desperation and fear making her reckless, Kathryn slowly got to her feet, breathing heavily through the dull ache of the pain down the right side of her body.

"Why did you do that?!" she hissed.

"You will not leave!" he growled at her, before turning away dismissively.

Watching him in confusion, Kathryn shook her head, not in the mood to try and understand her captor now. She walked past him, going back towards the stairs –

With a roar of fury Smaug spun around, moving his head to directly intercept her path, so that she came face to face with his mouth, lips peeled back as he growled viciously, his long teeth dazzling before her, only a foot away from her face, his nostrils leaking smoke threateningly. Kathryn froze, her eyes flashing to Smaug and then back to his maw in front of her, her heartbeat hammering in her chest as she beheld what could very possibly be her death.

"Do you think me a fool?!" Smaug snarled. "You _dare_?!"

"I w-wasn't, I was just –" Kathryn stammered, but was cut off by Smaug's furious roar.

"I am KING UNDER THE MOUNTAIN!" he seethed. "I commanded that you were not to leave! I am the only –"

"I wasn't trying to leave!"

They both stood there in silence, Smaug narrowed his eyes at the human woman before him, his growl deepening, as if he were daring her to lie to him now. When the tense silence began to weigh on Kathryn like a physical presence, she decided to speak.

"I-I was only getting the water," she stammered, the mention of it making her mouth go dry.

Smaug snorted disdainfully, his lip curling as he looked down on her.

"Please," she pleaded in a whisper. "I can't continue like this,"

"I beg to differ," Smaug rumbled a growl.

"Oh I have no doubt that you could work whatever powers you have to make my body live," she said, her heartbeat drumming loudly in her ears, every instinct screaming at her to just stop talking, what was she thinking?! But she ignored it, and continued on perilously, if only to at least try and get her point across. "But you need to meet me half way with this –"

"Do not presume to command me _Human,_" he spat the word 'human' as if it were a disgusting taste in his mouth. "I do not need to do anything,"

"No but… just please," Kathryn begged. "If I carry on like this, then yes you may make my body live, but my soul and my sanity will die!"

"And why should that matter to me?" Smaug snorted.

Kathryn was rendered speechless, surely if there was any empathy in him he would have –

She stopped herself there. Of course there was no empathy in him. Why would there be? He was only concerned with what directly affected him.

"You wanted me here to sing didn't you?" Kathryn heard herself say. She was confused by her own words, not because they were wrong, but because… they made sense. When she sang, she put her soul and emotion into her voice, without one she would simply… not be what Smaug wanted!

She saw him process the same information. She saw the gears turning in his brilliantly cunning mind, and saw him reach the same conclusion as she had. Not even Smaug had the power to keep one's soul and sanity whole – although she would never directly challenge his power like that to his face.

Smaug sighed suddenly with exasperation, and tentatively, as if this were some signal, Kathryn took a step forward. When Smaug did nothing, she took another. And then she was off, walking briskly back towards the doors, stepping over the large cracks in the stairs.

But she was constantly aware of Smaug's eyes burning into her back as he watched her, testing her, to see if she would run, and then his fury would be bearing down upon her.

Kathryn reached the puddle of water, and fell to her knees as she eagerly cupped the water in her hands and brought it to her face as she slurped it.

_Oh sweet joy! _She thought as the cool liquid trickled down her throat. _Thank the Valar! _

But cupping the water was even proving to be too time consuming, and she ended up bent down and putting her face in the puddle to slurp and gulp the water down. She heard Smaug snort with disgust but she didn't care, in that moment she had never tasted water as good as that in all her life.

She felt something digging into her leg, and frowning, she reached into the pocket of her ruined dress and felt something round. Confused, she pulled out her hand slowly, shifting her body so that Smaug couldn't see and it looked like she was merely getting into a better position. She stared down at the objects in her hand.

The poultices.

She remembered: the herbs that would knock her unconscious in the blink of an eye and allow her to have a dreamless, deep sleep. She had put them in her pocket the morning before she had been taken by Smaug.

Deftly, she put the poultices back in her pocket. If Smaug hadn't found them yet, he wouldn't notice them now.

Her heart began to race as a small flicker of hope dawned in her chest.

* * *

The human was proving to be difficult.

Smaug could swear that he had never had his patience tested to such an extent as during those first seven days. It was as if she was trying to push him, to make him so angry that he would kill her in a vicious rage. And considering her behaviour when she had been in that cage, he wouldn't put it past her.

The woman confused him, one moment she acted terrified of him as she should, other times she acted as if he was her equal – _the audacity!_

After the third day when Smaug had mistook her going for water as an escape attempt – he still wasn't completely sure she was telling the truth about that – they had fallen into an almost numb routine. The human would merely keep to herself, she wouldn't bother him – or at least try to – her persistent shuffling did not cease to grow on his frustration. Keeping a human in his lair went against everything Smaug had ever thought, and he had to keep reminding himself that she was here for his entertainment, she was a part of the Horde now; or else he would have killed merely out of principle. Smaug himself mainly slept, though he was always half awake, always watching, listening, even when she thought he wasn't, he hunted her even when she thought she was safe. The moment she would try to escape, he would pounce.

The only times that they ever directly interacted with one another was when Smaug brought back food and gave her the scraps – he had conceded to the fact that he would have to provide some sort of nourishment for her as her pathetic mortal body would waste away before he would even feel a pinch of hunger. The other time was when she sang for him after the meals, this was the only time when Smaug forgot that she was an annoying, pathetic, insignificant little human, in those moments all he knew was that beautiful voice… and that it was his.

But since that third day with the water, Smaug couldn't get her words out of his head:

"_You need to meet me half way with this… If I carry on like this, then yes, you may make my body live, but my soul and my sanity will die… You wanted me here to sing didn't you?"_

He hated the fact that she was right, that without her precious "_soul_" she would cease to be of use to him, he might as well have not bothered with her. And always Smaug came back to the thought: he always took exceptional care of his precious gold, keeping his horde in brilliant condition so that it was the envy of all those of Middle-Earth. So if she was part of the horde, then what about her?

He growled to himself, his frustration boiling within him until he felt the need to blast something with his fire until it was nothing but ash in front of him.

He cast his gaze over to the said human as she knelt by the scraps of his daily catch, picking at the meat between the bones he had left her. Her cheeks had become hollow, her body seemed thinner, her ruby red curly hair was dirty and scraggly, her eyes were sunken and dark. Smaug had to admit that she was in poorer health, malnutrition getting the better of her. He could faintly hear her breathing: it was a little more irregular than usual, and she was trying to keep herself quiet so that her silent weeping would not make him alert enough to hear. But even if he couldn't hear her quiet sobs, he could smell the salt of her tears that washed down her cheeks.

"Cease your whining," he growled, making her jump – that would never stop to be amusing – before she stilled her body and looked down at the floor. Smaug settled himself on his bed of treasure as he always did every evening. "Now sing," he commanded.

He heard her shaky breath as she prepared herself. When she hesitated a second too long, Smaug opened an eye to glare at her again, watching encase she were about to defy him like before. But just as he was about to snap at her, she began to sing.

_"Lay down_  
_Your sweet and weary head_  
_Night is falling_  
_You've come to journey's end_  
_Sleep now_  
_And dream of the ones who came before_  
_They are calling_  
_From across the distant shore_

_Why do you weep?_  
_What are these tears upon your face?_  
_Soon you will see_  
_All of your fears will pass away_  
_Safe in my arms_  
_You're only sleeping_

_What can you see_  
_On the horizon?_  
_Why do the white gulls call?_  
_Across the sea_  
_A pale moon rises_  
_The ships have come to carry you home_

_And all will turn_  
_To silver glass_  
_A light on the water_  
_All souls pass_

_Hope fades_  
_Into the world of night_  
_Through shadows falling_  
_Out of memory and time_  
_Don't say: "We have come now to the end"_  
_White shores are calling_  
_You and I will meet again_

_And you'll be here in my arms_  
_Just sleeping_

_What can you see_  
_On the horizon?_  
_Why do the white gulls call?_  
_Across the sea_  
_A pale moon rises_  
_The ships have come to carry you home_

_And all will turn _  
_To silver glass_  
_A light on the water_  
_Grey ships pass _  
_Into the West..."_

Smaug did not know the song, he didn't particularly care for it, but the way this human sang it did interest him. Her voice was as beautiful as always, but he heard the longing in her as she sang, the sadness, the yearning, the plea. The song was meant to be almost a lullaby, Smaug thought from the lyrics, but she sang it almost like a reassurance to herself, a prayer.

As if she were dying.

Smaug shook his head with snort, his frustration returning anew.

_Half way…_ he thought.

* * *

The next day, Kathryn sat there, staring blankly at a wall, lost in thought. She thought of times long past, her past, the world's past; of the choices she'd made, and she wondered, could she have done anything differently in order to avoid where she would end up, here in this prison, slowly dying of misery. She found it odd that she had not had a vision in order to warn her of this moment. But then, she never had visions of herself, the only time she did was that stupid symbolic one she had when she had first been brought here to the Lonely Mountain.

Her thoughts were interrupted as she heard Smaug returning from his daily hunt. She only looked over fleetingly to see him come back into the chamber, she turned away, her mind already closing off as she prepared for the day's usual routine.

But unlike any normal day, Smaug did not settle down to eat first. Instead he threw the contents in his mouth to Kathryn. She practically jumped as she felt the heavy thud of a carcass beside her. she looked down to see a pig half cooked by Smaug's hot breath, and beside it was a sack filled with a few vegetables and herbs. Obviously stolen but…

"What's this?" Kathryn heard her voice croak as she looked up at Smaug, wide eyed, her mind unable to comprehend what he was doing. Was this another trick? A jest?

"Meeting you 'Half Way'," the dragon grumbled before lowering himself to the ground and resting his head on the piles of gold, his eyes shutting although she knew he was still awake.

Kathryn stared from the dragon to the offering before her, blinking stupidly as she realised that her words had sunk in. Diving into the bag, Kathryn pulled out tomatoes and onions and corn, biting into them, ignoring the bitter taste, just enjoying the way her body felt almost revived at the sweet goodness that she greedily swallowed. She found a knife in the sack, and immediately set to work cutting off the meat on one of the back legs of the pig. She ate it gratefully, enjoying the tender meat, the sweet juices. She ate until her stomach was full. By the Valar! No more having to eat scraps, to have a proper meal – sort of.

Noticing that she was finished, Smaug reached forward, his long snake like neck coiling and twisting as he went to pluck the carcass up –

"Wait!"

Smaug growled, his eyes becoming sharp as he watched her. Kathryn held up a hand, showing that she was not a threat. She slowly reached forward into the bag and took out several herbs and spices, her hands moving slowly as she craftily picked up the poultices as well. She sprinkled rosemary onto the skin of the pig, and with her knife quickly made a small hole in the belly as she stuffed sage and thyme into it, discreetly putting the poultices in as she went. She struggled to keep her heartbeat and breathing under control as her nerves began to get the better of her. If this plan didn't pay off… then not even the direct intervention of the Valar would save her.

She leaned back as she finished, and Smaug looked from her to the pig carcass suspiciously. He raised a scaly eye-ridge at her as his eyes narrowed.

"Meeting you half way," she murmured.

The dragon blinked, not expecting that answer. But he reached forward and grabbed the carcass between his teeth, lifting it into the air as he swallowed it whole, meat, bones, skin, hooves and all. He almost purred appreciatively as the herbs flavoured the meat for him.

Sitting there holding her breath with anticipation, Kathryn watched Smaug as he settled down onto the gold. Just like any other evening, he commanded her to sing for him as he got comfortable. Kathryn sang, but her mind was only half focused as she watched the dragon. She knew that those poultices would have knocked her unconscious for half a day if she got even a sprinkle in her tea. Not even the whole things would put a dragon like Smaug out to the same effect, but as she watched, his eyes grew heavy as he relaxed to her song as if the poultices were helping him into a deep sleep.

By the time the song had ended, Smaug was snoring loudly. Not daring to believe her luck, Kathryn took a small step forward, the gold grating together ever so slightly under her weight. She froze, and looked to Smaug who hadn't even stirred at the sound. Usually his eyes would have snapped open and he would have been glaring at her. A small smile spread across her features as she began to walk away, she knew that those poultices wouldn't hold him asleep for long, she would have a very small window to make this worthwhile.

She ran.


	5. Chapter 5 - Best Interests

**Oh, I couldn't leave you guys on that cliffhanger forever! But, Oh... my... god... I just pulled out another huge chapter? In two days?! Holy-Moly! You guys are really rubbing off on my motivation! :D thanks for the awesome feedback, the more feedback I get, the quicker I get moving it seems :) the song used in this chapter is just a poem that I made up in class one day, but now I think it will have great significance for this story X)**

**Just a quick warning to be safe: there is violence and some cursing in this chapter (even though this is Smaug so of course there's going to be ferocious violence. lol) **

**Please read, enjoy, and review! (and I do make it a point to reply to all reviews and PM's that I can, only fair that I acknowledge your feedback) Oh, and just to say there are two riddles in this chapter.**

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Chapter 5 – Best Interests

"With me, you will never know reason. I will blind you to everything else and drive you to kill your enemy. What am I? You are Rage"

* * *

Kathryn ran. She had never run so fast in all her life, desperate to keep her feet moving as fast as they could, ignoring the tattered rags of her dress as it caught around her knees, threatening to trip her at any second.

It only took her ten minutes to find her way out of the fortress: from the doors to the central chamber, it was almost a straight line forwards and upwards past an ancient throne room and through the entrance hall and she was out!

Kathryn hissed as she covered her eyes to the bright sunlight, her eyes stinging as she struggled to adjust from the days in the dark with nothing but artificial light of the treasure and Smaug's fire. But blinking rapidly, she managed to clear her vision enough to gather her bearings and recognise her surroundings.

The Ruined City wasn't that far off, she could probably make it if she ran and hid amongst the buildings. No. she remembered how well that one worked out for her last time; besides, it was the first option and also the first place Smaug would look when he awoke. What about if she made it to Laketown? She could follow the huge lake and make her way there. No. That would take far too long, during which time Smaug could find her and pick her off in the open terrain; and Laketown was made of wood – kind of a bad idea to draw a Dragon's attention there.

Looking off to her right, she saw a small woodland a small distance off from the mountain. It was a little to the west, perhaps a mile or so off, and it was just a woodland area before the Mirkwood. The trees would offer her shelter and camoflague, the branches and thick trunks would make it difficult for Smaug to land or get low enough to snatch her up. And it was heading west, far away from here, perfect!

Kathryn ran again, skirting around the gigantic statues of dwarves that flanked either side of the front gates. Running round the base of the mountain but keeping to the shadows Kathryn continued to run. This was when her life on the road came in handy: her endurance was enough to keep her going at a steady, brisk pace as she trekked ever closer towards the woods.

She wasn't far from the shadows of the trees when she began to tire, her arms felt heavy, her bones like iron, the muscles in her calves and thighs screamed with renewed burning pain with every step, her breathing was shaky and laboured as her mouth became dry. She needed to stop, but her instincts kept screaming at her to keep going! Until she was within the midst of the trunks she wouldn't be safe enough to rest, and maybe not even then. She even doubted she would be safe if she went as far as the Grey Havens of the elves.

That was when she heard it.

Smaug's blood curdling scream of fury and outrage blasted across the landscape, echoing off out into the horizon. Kathryn felt her heart seize as she heard the vengeful roar that thirsted for blood – her blood. Suddenly finding her motivation once again, Kathryn sprinted the rest of the way, crying out with relief as she reached the treeline, her arms grasping onto a nearby trunk in an attempt to keep her standing.

With another thunderous roar, Kathryn saw Smaug erupt from the mountain in a ball of smoke and fire, even from this distance she could see his flame yellow eyes glowing with seething rage. He roared again once he realised that his prey was not in his immediate vicinity. He spread his wings, tail lashing, claws gouging into the earth, a torrent of fire streaming from his jaws into the heavens. He launched himself into the sky, driving his wings down, creating a powerful shockwave of air that battered the earth below him as he soared upwards. As Kathryn had predicted, Smaug went first to the Ruined City, thinking that that would be the first place she would go. It would take him a while to realise that she wasn't there, but not long. Then he would return to the entrance of the mountain and force himself to calm down in order to track her properly.

Kathryn didn't think she had enough time to get away.

She was seriously starting to regret her decision. Perhaps it would have been better to stay in misery then face the horrors that would surely await her come her inevitable recapture. It had been a rash and desperate decision made by a rash and desperate woman. But now she had to deal with the consequences, she couldn't go back and just apologise; she needed to make the most of what she had.

Turning around, Kathryn took a deep breath to try and steady her heaving sides as she began to walk deeper into the forest. Autumn had fully set in now, a bitter chill running through with the wind, the trees bare to only leave the branches like hooked claws reaching for her. Kathryn trudged through, ignoring the shiver down her spine as she went, she just had to keep going, pushing herself further and further in.

And then she realised how quiet it had become.

Even though autumn had set in, Kathryn had still heard the noise of the woods as she had entered: winter birds calling to one another, squirrels and chipmunks scurrying, owls hooting as the late afternoon sun drew into evening. But now, everything was deathly silent, as if the whole forest were holding its breath.

Then she heard the distant sound of wing beats.

Terror seized her heart, and Kathryn ran through the trees, jumping over roots, swerving around trunks, tearing up the ground in her wake as she ran for her life.

She looked around her, her tired body already soon wearing down as she pushed herself to run, but adrenaline could only get her so far. She needed a place to hide. But there were no caves, only a rock formation to the south of a small lake in a clearing up ahead. The only thing that she could see for shelter were trees, trees and more _bloody trees_!

Kathryn looked over her shoulder to see how close her pursuer was. She managed to see him just in time as a gigantic dark shadow came shooting towards her, coming closer and closer. She saw the head on the long snake-like neck searching the ground, a flash of white as he bared his fangs. He hadn't seen her yet, she still had a second or so to hide before he did.

Having no other choice, Kathryn sprinted forward with her last reserves of energy, and clamped her mouth shut as she leapt into the air as she came to a clearing. She straightened her body as she quickly dove into the water of the lake.

Searing cold almost made her freeze instantaneously. Kathryn would have cried out but kept a firm hold of her jaw so as not to drown. She sunk lower into the water, going to the slope of the back and holding onto the roots and water plants for support to keep her under. Already her fingers were going numb, and she could feel the pain in her limbs as her blood was so cold. She looked up, eyes open and squinted to see through the murky water, her hair floating all around her, partially obscuring her already poor vision in this underwater world. She kept her eyes trained on the water above her, waiting.

Aware of the resemblance of this reality to her vision, Kathryn did a quick check of the depths to make sure Smaug wasn't lurking below her, but she could see nothing.

She saw the light of the overcast sky above as a grey blotch on the water. And she saw a shadow pass over it.

Kathryn waited a few moments longer, her lungs screaming for air until they burned and she began to see black at the edges of her eyes and her brain began to hurt from the pressure of the air inside her. Then with a huge release, Kathryn kicked off of the bottom of the lake, surging towards the surface as she released the breath she had been holding.

She surfaced with a huge gasp, coughing as stray droplets of water were sucked down her throat with her eager breath. Lips turning blue, and already shaking, Kathryn used her stiff limbs to paddle to the shore, dragging herself onto land. She lay there, heaving to regain her lost breath, her soaking hair now a brown-rust colour from soaking up the water, her dress clinging to her body, making her more aware of the cold that seemed to be all around her. The felt so tired…

Suddenly she felt searing pain as her head was jerked back and she hissed, reaching up a hand to her head to find a hand clenching a fist around her long locks of hair. Before she could react, Kathryn felt more hands on her arms as she was hauled roughly to her feet.

Opening her eyes, kicking and struggling, Kathryn came face to face with three armed men in leather armour. The one that held her hair – Kathryn assumed him to be the leader – was bald with a square jaw and rusty eyes. The one holding Kathryn's arm in one hand and the other around her waist in order to keep her standing, had greasy black hair coming down to his shoulders stubble on his chin and a hooked nose. The one on Kathryn's left had hair as red Kathryn's – although greasy like his companion – and he had a long scar that cut through his cheek and down his jaw on the left side. From the dirt that seemed to be soaked into their pours, the low standard armour and being armed to the teeth with an arsenal of different weapons, an unsettling realisation came to Kathryn.

_Bandits,_ she thought with a hiss, _or worse, mercenaries._

The leader studied Kathryn, his rusty eyes looking at every inch of her face. She didn't like the way he stared, as if he were looking at a piece of meat, and his grip on her hair seemed to tighten as he continued to stare.

"You're a long way from home, girl," he said in a cracked voice as if it had had years without use. "What you doin' here?"

"None of your damned business," Kathryn hissed, struggling although she was cut off when the bald leader pulled her hair a little tighter, making her wince. "Let me go!"

"I reckon it is my business seeing as we pulled your sorry, shivering carcass from the lake," the bald man sneered.

"To which I thank you _sir_," Kathryn muttered sarcastically. "But you _must_ let me go! Now!"

"I don't know love," the bald man leered at her. "Don't you know there's a dragon flying around these parts? A woman such as yourself might get hurt, best to stay with us for a little… _protection_," he snickered.

"I doubt that," Kathryn scowled.

"What do you want done with her, Karst?" said the black haired man, his voice thickened by a stiff accent.

"Bring her back to camp," the bald man – Karst – muttered as he removed his hand from Kathryn's soaking hair. "Would be nice to have a little _womanly_ company for a change," he added with a raised eyebrow as he evaluated her body with his eyes.

Katryn steeled herself against an involuntary tremble.

"She could be trouble Karst," the black haired man said.

"What's the matter Bensen? You scared of a little girl?" Karst eyed his companion with disgust. The black haired man – Bensen – shifted a little but said nothing.

"Come on, we bring her back to camp," Karst ordered again. "Bensen, take the girl. Cutter, watch our backs for that flying lizard,"

"Yes boss," the red haired man – Cutter – nodded, releasing Kathryn's arm to retrieve his bow as he looked up and watched the sky, arrow already notched and at the ready. Bensen took both Kathryn's upper arms in his big, strong hands as he pushed her forward, directing her as they followed Karst with Cutter bringing up the rear.

They came to the rock formations that Kathryn had seen earlier, it looked like giant building debris, or a small cliff formation pushed up from the earth. Kathryn's eyes were constantly shifting from the Mercenaries around her to the sky above, her ears straining for the slightest sounds of wing-beats or a distant roar. But nothing, the forest was oddly quiet.

As they approached the rock, Kathryn saw a thin crack in the wall, barely large enough to for a man to walk through. Kathryn wouldn't have noticed it before at all if she didn't watch Karst walk through it into a form of cave, and then she noticed the flickering light from inside as if from a fire. Feeling the cold in her body again suddenly return at the thought of the warmth, Kathryn began to shake and eagerly allowed Bensen to take her through the opening and into the small cave.

A man with short, scraggly blond hair sat by a fire, he couldn't have been no more than sixteen; he looked up as the group entered, and grinned to reveal crooked teeth and an angled jaw.

"Karst," the boy said, almost heartily. "I was beginning to think you'd been carried off,"

"Not bloody likely Lesk," Karst chuckled as he came to sit leisurely by the warm fire.

"Where do you want the girl, Karst?" Bensen asked grumpily. At the sound of the word 'girl', Lesk looked up and locked his eyes on Kathryn, a grin spreading across his face as he beheld her.

"Oi-oi-oi! What's this then?" he called out.

"Little fish we pulled out of the water," Karst murmured with a chuckle. He then looked at Bensen with a bored look in his eyes. "Put her in the back, tie her hands."

"Nothing followed us," Cutter said as he entered into the cave.

"Cutter," Lesk sneered, an almost disappointed tone entering his voice. "I was beginning to hope you'd been burned,"

"Fuck you Lesk," Cutter spat.

"You kiss your momma with that mouth?" Lesk leered.

"No, just yours," Cutter grinned when Lesk turned purple with outrage, standing as he withdrew a knife and –

"Enough, both of you," Karst said loudly and both men glared at each other before sitting on opposite sides of the fire.

But Kathryn ignored them as Bensen took her to the back of the cave, placing her to sit against the wall holding both her wrists in one of his hands as he tied a rope around her wrists with the other. When she was secured, he merely left her, pausing only to kick a huge bundle of leather in one corner. Kathryn stared as the bundle began to move, grumbling and growling as it began to sit up, so tall it's head almost brushed the ceiling. It looked around, almost sleepily, until it turned its face to Kathryn and –

"Shit!" Kathryn gasped, kicking herself away from the huge creature that sat not a few feet from her. "How did you get a Olog-Hai?!" she demanded.

The troll like creature growled at her, baring its fangs from its black, slobbering mouth, its beady eyes fixed on her with hate. Karst grinned, enjoying the girl's fear, as she scooted to be as far away from the troll as possible.

"Found him a year or two back," Lesk said with a grin. "Was badly injured. I defended him from some elven bastards, and he swore loyalty to me until his dyin' breath!"

"They teach you to make up shit like that?" Kathryn growled. "Or did you figure it out on your own?"

Lesk went crimson red with indignation, his eyes bulging.

"She got you there, arse-wipe," Cutter chuckled darkly. Lesk looked from Kathryn to Cutter and back again, his face turning from red to purple to blue as he held in a breath to stop himself from screaming.

"Why you – I'll sh – you fuc –" he stammered, but was cut off when Bensen snapped:

"Enough!"

Everyone was silent as they watched the fire, and Kathryn allowed the warmth of the flames to seep into her body slowly but surely, over time the smoke drying her hair somewhat and taking some of the moisture out of her clothes. She then noticed that no one was paying attention to her, and so quietly shifted so that her hands were between her knees in an almost casual manner, making her seem relaxed, but hiding her hands from view as her fingers silently worked at the knots that bound her.

Knowing that they might discover her, Kathryn looked about for something to distract them. She was going to try and provoke another argument between Cutter and Lesk, but suddenly caught a whiff of a dreadful stench that seemed to underlay the scent of the smoke of the fire. Looking over to the corner by the monstrous Olog-Hai, she noticed a thick sack with a large round bundle that Kathryn couldn't quite make out the shape of. But she could guess it was something rather awful, as she saw with a twist of her stomach in repulsion that black, oozing blood stained the bottom of the sack.

"What's in the bag?" Kathryn asked, wrinkling her nose at the smell.

"Troll head," Cutter answered. "Customer in Framsburg wants it, found it down near the Mountains of Mirkwood,"

"Strange," Kathryn thought aloud. "Trolls haven't been down from the mountains for an age,"

"That's what I said," Bensen muttered.

"Shut up, the pair of you," Karst snapped.

"You're going to Framsburg?" Kathryn asked after a while.

"Cutter is," said Bensen quietly. "He'll get the reward money whilst the rest of us head to the Iron hills; heard there's work there for security in the mines,"

"What?" Kathryn felt her blood run cold. "We're heading back east? N-no! That's the wrong direction!"

"We know the way, girl!" Karst growled at her. "Now shut it."

"No, you can't take me with you! You can't!" Kathryn felt her blood pumping in her ears with fear. If she headed back east _towards_ Erebor, then she would just be heading straight back into Smaug's waiting claws.

"I said SHUT IT!" Karst bellowed at her, standing over her as he leaned his face into hers until she could smell the rotting food in between his teeth and could see every stinking, greasy flake of skin on his face. "Shut your mouth or I'll find something to shut it with!"

Kathryn spat in his face.

Karst recoiled, and then glared at her with fury and murder in his eyes. With all the power he possessed, he hit her across the face, and Kathryn felt her cheek erupt in pain as she was knocked to the ground. She could feel her bonds were coming loose, but she needed just a little more time! Her face ached from the blow and she felt a little dizzy as she tried to push herself up with her elbows. She heard Karst mutter something although she couldn't understand what he –

Kathryn gasped as she felt a huge hand wrap around her throat and lift her into the air. Her purple eyes went wide as she saw the Olog-Hai standing beside Karst, his grip on her throat light but firm enough to constrict the air she breathed. Kathryn clung to his fingers with her bound hands, trying to dislodge him.

"Drop her," Karst demanded. The Olog-hai did as he was instructed, dropping Kathryn where she fell heavily to the floor. She tried to scramble away but felt Karst's hand at the back of her head as he gripped her hair and pulled her head back, exposing her throat to him. He pinned her with his knees on either side of her hips, the other hand holding her wrists as he glared down at her.

Kathryn froze, her blood turning to ice, her body going stiff and her breathing becoming erratic as she realised how vulnerable she was at this precise moment.

"You got spirit on you girl," Karst whispered in her ear, and Kathryn's skin crawled as she felt his breath lick over her neck as he leaned in close. "I like that. But some girls need to know their place."

Releasing her hair, he used his now free hand to try and lift the tattered remains of her skirts –

Realising what he was doing, Kathryn kicked out with her feet, struggling against him, trying to keep out of his reach as he made to grab her. She bucked and writhed against him, horror beginning to dawn in her for the evil he was about to commit. One of her knees connected with his groin, and he cried out in pain, but held her wrists tighter as he seethed down at her. Releasing her skirts, he slapped her across the face again, igniting new pain in her as she was knocked aside and then her head hit the wall, causing a flash of blinding pain across her vision.

She was left temporarily dazed as she felt a small trickle of blood down her temple, and then realised that she was laying on the floor, and Karst had her properly pinned. When she tried to extract herself from his loathsome touch, nothing happened, and panic began to engulf her as she felt something build up in her throat, hyperventilating as she struggled and writhed and –

Finally, she screamed.

The answering roar was so loud that trees outside creaked and cracked in the hot, dry wind that was created as if from nowhere, blowing into the cave and whipping at the flames of the fire, making it flicker and almost go out. A deathly silence filled the cave as everyone looked to the opening, not daring to breath, not moving a muscle.

But Kathryn knew that roar, and prayed to the Valar that it was him!

A huge shockwave passed through the earth as something landed heavily in the clearing by the lake not too far off. Then, they heard the heavy footfalls of giant feet as they struck the ground, walking slowly, and the sound of sniffs as the creature outside scented the air.

A gigantic, red, reptilian foot passed by the opening, and walked on slowly, the sound of sniffing could still be heard as the great dragon searched for his prey. Seeing that flash of familiar brilliant crimson, Kathryn felt something dawn in her – hope.

"Sma–!" her quick cry for help was suddenly cut short when a pale faced Karst covered her mouth with his hand, silencing her.

But outside, Smaug heard the little noise, and he froze upon hearing the first part of his name on that unmistakable voice, whipping his head back around to stare at the small crack in the rocks that he had not noticed before.

Inside, Kathryn could only hear the silence outside, she couldn't even hear the massive creature breathing. She hoped and prayed that he had heard her, that he had not left to search somewhere else.

They all waited on baited breath as the silence outside grew.

Finally, unable to stand the tension, Karst motioned to Lesk, jerking his head towards the cave entrance. Lesk turned a paler shade of white, licking his suddenly dry lips as he shook like a leaf. But Karst glared at him, and that seemed to awaken something in the boy, as he slowly withdrew a slingshot, grabbing a rock as he held it taught in his sweaty hands, making sure his knife was ready and on hand.

They all watched him as he slowly shuffled forward, his eyes searching out into the darkening world beyond as much as the opening would allow. He looked back at Karst, his eyes pleading, but Karst just glared at him again and motioned for him to go. Lesk swallowed loudly, before stepping out into the light. He looked around, wide eyed with fear, but relaxed as he looked to see nothing. Kathryn felt her heart sink at the prospect. Lesk turned back towards the cave, a relieved smirk upon his –

With a roar and a blur of red, giant jaws descended upon the boy, the large teeth puncturing through his chest and rupturing his insides. Lesk was screaming as he was suddenly lifted into the air and out of sight of the others, although his screaming was suddenly cut short by a sudden "snap", half of his body falling to the ground.

"LESK!" Karst screamed, leaping off of Kathryn and charging for the opening, sword at the ready. Cutter and Bensen were hot on his heels, screaming their war cries as they charged out, weapons drawn.

Kathryn scrambled to her knees, quickly untying the last of her bonds and running for the opening, getting through just before the Olog-Hai who had to suck in his bulging gut and squeeze through the opening.

Kathryn had to gasp at the sight before her. Smaug was standing in the clearing, his tail and wings flattening the trees on either side of him, but even then he didn't have much room to manoeuvre. That didn't matter though, with his long serpentine neck, he struck out at his attackers like a cobra, little more than a flash of red and gold scales and white teeth as he tossed Bensen into the air, catching the screaming man as he snapped his powerful jaws, severing the man's spine and killing him instantly. Smaug allowed the body to fall to the ground with a disgusted snort.

Suddenly, the Olog-Hai was through the opening and sprinting across the small battlefield, its roar bellowing out as it charged. Smaug had been about to blast his remaining enemies with his fire, but turned in time to see the Olog-Hai charge at him, a massive two handed sword in its hands. The Olog-Hai swung the blade, aiming for Smaug's neck that was close to the ground where the dragon had been leaning forward to attack his next victims. Smaug lifted himself out of the way just in time, and snapped at the troll with a growl which the Olog-Hai blocked easily with a swing of his sword, batting the Dragon's jaw out of his way.

Smaug chuckled darkly, a condescending look in his eyes. Kathryn knew that look, his arrogance reigning supreme, he thought this to be _amusing_! His ego would be telling him that nothing could harm him, that there was no one worthy enough to slay him. But he still turned to solely face the Olog-Hai, giving it his full attention as he tensed, ready for battle.

Kathryn saw movement, and noticed that Cutter was moving off to the side as the Olog-Hai challenged Smaug, the archer trying to get a better angle as he readied his bow. Without thinking, Kathryn ran to the body of Bensen, ignoring her stomach doing flips from nausea at the damage done to him. She quickly picked up his light mace, and quickly scrambled up a small stone incline until she was directly above Cutter, who was aiming his arrow at the dragon's left eye as his attention was focused on the Olog-Hai that was doing his best to evade and deflect the dragon's blows. She saw the moment when Cutter tensed, preparing to release –

"HEY!" she shouted, and jumped.

She collided with Cutter's shoulders, sending them both sprawling to the ground. Kathryn rolled over, but as soon as they came to a stop, she scrambled to her feet, picking up the mace as Cutter slowly got up to his knees, clearly dazed. With a shout, Kathryn swung the mace as hard as she could, feeling it connect with the man's face, feeling his bone crunch and smash under the impact, blood flying everywhere. He crumpled to the ground and Kathryn dropped the mace.

The Olog-Hai was suddenly sent flying over her, landing heavily beside Karst, although it slowly got to its feet, a huge gash in its side. Kathryn now stood in between them all, and she could feel Smaug's eyes upon her back. And without looking back at him, she took a very big deliberate step backwards, walking back until she was standing between his front legs, protected within his shadow as she glared at Karst who seethed at her.

"_Witch_," he hissed.

"I prefer the term 'seer'." She snapped dryly.

Without another word, Smaug suddenly roared, and, with his enemies in the exact same spot and no one else to stand in the way, he let loose a belly full of fire. Kathryn couldn't see past the thick flames, only the faint silhouettes of the two figures within as they screamed and writhed in agony. But soon, even that was eventually silenced as they became nothing but ash.

Kathryn sighed, her shoulders slumping as she felt exhaustion overtake her. a hand going to her head she felt the blood and wondered –

With a cry she was suddenly pushed to the ground, the breath knocked out of her lungs as a huge pressure was suddenly placed on her chest and body. Kathryn looked up, wide eyed to see Smaug standing above her, his hand pinning her beneath him, as he only allowed a tiny fraction of his weight onto her, his eyes burning into her soul.

"S-Smaug!" Kathryn strangled out, trying to remove his hand from her but it was obviously useless. "Smaug! Please! I – ARGH!"

She cried out in fear as Smaug deliberately pushed a little harder onto her, forcing the air out of her body until she couldn't breathe and her bones began to protest in pain from the pressure. The dragon's eyes glinted with malicious intent as his lips quivered to reveal his teeth in a silent snarl.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't crush you!" he growled, the words barely recognisable through the blood-thirsting rage in his tone. "Give me: One. Good. _Reason_!"

Kathryn struggled to speak past the pressure on her chest and choke out the words with what little breath she had.

"I-I…I… chose… you!"

* * *

Smaug flew through the sky, his blood boiling inside of him with his rage as he seethed, smoke curling out of his nose and mouth, making him itch to blast something. He held the human in the tight grip of his hand, not even concerned by the fact that he might have been holding her a little too tightly.

They came to the Lonely Mountain, and Smaug didn't say a word as he snarled upon landing just outside the gates, and stormed his way into the fortress. When he came to the central chamber of the lower halls, not even the sight of his precious gold was enough to calm the raging storm inside of him. A quick glance with his incredible eye sight and he knew that no one had been here and taken anything from his treasure, as if they would dare; like all dragons, Smaug knew his hoard so well he could tell if there would be a single gold coin missing.

But he simply marched through the chamber, until he came to the cage hanging from the ceiling, left open and neglected ever since he had released its prisoner. Not wanting to make the same mistake again, Smaug threw the human woman into the cage, slamming the door shut behind her. She crumpled on the floor, slowly picking herself up. She seemed withheld, almost sad, but not like before, now she seemed… regretful?

Smaug snorted, allowing the smoke from his nose to wash over her to reveal his temper that he was barely controlling. He then turned away from her, determined not to allow his anger to overcome him and harm her, although she deserved it. She'd drugged him and then made her escape when he had forbidden it! In a sense she had stolen a part of his hoard, stealing her voice from him… and people knew very well what he did to thieves.

Frankly, Smaug was more outraged at the fact that she had _drugged_ him! He'd gone to sleep as he always had, feeling nothing amiss, and had fallen into a deep sleep of dreams, knowing he had to keep his guard up but… not caring. He'd heard her leave, and something in him had been furious, battling against his fatigue to wake up, but he'd… not cared. Then he had awoken when the feeling of unease grew, shaking off the tiredness that had consumed him, he'd only been out for a few minutes, but even awake, his vision was blurred, his limbs felt heavy and his mind fuzzy as he tried to shake off what had happened. It took another ten minutes to get himself alert, and then looking around the chamber, he saw that indeed, the human was gone. A red haze had descended over his vision as he had realised what she had done, and nothing had been able to reach him as he roared his rage and erupted from the mountain in a haze of fury, smoke and fire.

But when he had finally found the woman, he found her in the company of filthy, stinking humans. Some part of him had believed they had stolen her from him, as it was evident that she didn't want to be with them by the bruises that had suddenly appeared on her arms and face. And then she had fought against them, and had come to him. That part still dumbfounded Smaug, he hadn't believed she'd done that… although he had to admit… he felt an odd sense of satisfaction when she did. But then his rational thinking had remembered that she had been the one to drug him, to run off, she had merely chosen him because he was there, because he would "protect" her. Well, he had shown her how untrue that had been. He'd been so angry with her that once his enemies were dealt with, he'd been more than willing to crush her for the insult of what she'd done, he'd almost meant his question rhetorically about if she could give him a reason not to kill her. Because he'd thought that none would satisfy him. But then she'd said the words:

"_I chose you._"

Smaug roared, the sound echoing off of the walls of the chamber as if a thousand blood-thirsty dragons were all around him, crying out with him. Smaug laid down on his bed of treasure, growling to himself as he felt something odd in his stomach, perhaps it was the filthy human he'd accidentally swallowed, he hadn't meant to eat half of the filthy boy – revolting as he was – but he hadn't complained. But no, this didn't feel like simple indigestion. No, his stomach felt heavy, twisting as something sour plagued his being, making his lip curl, the feeling intensified when he thought about what the human had done. And then it dawned on him, was he feeling… betrayed?

Smaug snorted in disgust. _Don't be ridiculous!_ He scolded himself. How could he feel betrayed? He had known that the human would take the first opportunity she would get to escape, he had known it all along. But, for some reason he thought of the pig and bag of vegetables he had stolen for her, the whole "meeting her half way" had been her idea had it not? And after he had conceded to it, she had betrayed him, turned traitor and ran from him. Smaug shook his head, he was acting like a filthy mortal creature, why should he feel anything other than rage for what she had done?

But that was in the past now, and she was back in her cage where she belonged, he would now make sure she never escaped again, and he would now make her life a misery so that she would remember not to cross him again.

"Smaug…" came a small voice from the cage, and Smaug opened one glowing eye to glare at her. She was sitting up next to the bars, looking at him, her face almost calm if not a little… sad."Smaug, I know that this perhaps means nothing to you, but… I wish to apologise for what I did,"

Smaug growled, loud, low and menacing as he turned his head to face her, lips quivering as he exposed his fangs to her, smoke curling from his nostrils. To her credit, the human did not back down, she only looked from his mouth back to him, the only sign that she was a little uneasy.

"I should not have drugged you, I admit it was desperate and foolish, but I was a desperate fool." She said. "Escaping was pointless, and I am sorry for running, for going against your orders. But I want to thank you… yes, thank you for saving me."

"You're right," he said, and saw a flicker of hope enter her eyes. "Your words of lies mean _nothing_ to me."

"Smaug," she said softly, her eyes sad as she pleaded with him. "Are we to go back to the beginning? Are we to go through this dance again?"

"No, there will be nothing. You will be in that cage until I decide to let your body die, and long after I watch your soul wither and burn," he growled. She flinched, but quickly recovered herself.

"Smaug, please, I give you my word, I won't try to escape, I'll stay here of my own free will, I'll –"

"I already gave in to your words once, and you turned traitor to them!" he snarled, rearing up to glare at her with one piercing glowing eye. "You have done nothing to show me that you will honour anything you say!"

"I chose you," she murmured. Ah, and there it was again, the bane of his existence it seemed. Smaug, snarled again, snapping his jaws close to the bars of the cage threateningly.

"Your whining is useless human, so be quiet and accept your fate!"

"Please just listen –"

"Why should I listen to anything you have to say?! You have proven that you are little more than a pathetic traitor and a _LIAR_!"

Silence. Smaug turned away, roaring his anger and frustration, smashing his tail against the side of the chamber, causing a shock wave that almost collapsed part of the ceiling under its strength. With a roar Smaug unleashed his fire, belting it out onto the wall, charring it black melting nearby treasure from its heat.

He stood there heaving, his little burst of anger complete, he suddenly didn't know what to do with himself.

"I'm sorry…" came a small, regretful voice.

Smaug snorted, returning to his bed of gold as he settled amongst his treasures, willing himself to go to sleep and ignore this human's pathetic attempts to satisfy him. He coiled around himself, getting comfortable as he tried to get himself to sleep. But no matter what he did, his mind would not rest. Thoughts plagued him like insects buzzing around inside his mind, not letting him be. He thought of the human, of her words, had she meant them? Was she truly sorry? Smaug doubted it, all the while thinking about those filthy humans in the woods, knowing that she had only come to him to escape their grasp. But Smaug had smelt their scent all over her, could practically taste the aftermath of her fear, and thinking that they had done something to her, he felt his stomach boil as an uncontrollable rage filled him again. At the thought he wanted those pests alive once again so that he might punish them a second, slower, more torturous time.

But what if she was right? Had she chosen him? During the fight, she had had plenty of time to make her escape, running once again – although Smaug would have caught her before she could have made it a mile – but instead she chose to stay and… defend him. He snorted at the insult, as if he, the mighty Smaug, needed defending! His Armour was like ten-fold shields, his teeth like swords, his claws spears, the shock of his tail a thunderbolt and his breath – death!

But even then, she had fought for him, somehow, Samug felt something uneasy as he considered the weight of that decision. She had not fought him as he had brought her back to the mountain, and he had imprisoned her; she had not kicked and screamed against him, and she had accepted her punishment. And then he thought of her words, of her promise to not escape, to stay of her own free will.

The human was a puzzle if nothing else.

And then, Smaug heard a beautiful melodious voice…

"_In dreams we'll meet, I promise you,_

_We'll go to a place that only you knew_

_In your eyes, I hear you say,_

_You'll take the hurt and the pain away_

_There is no hate, there is no pride_

_In our place there is nothing to hide…_

_In dreams we meet, when night falls still,_

_In sleep I know that we are real_

_In your embrace, we meet again,_

_Then we fly to gods know when,_

_We dance and sing, all through the night,_

_Till we part again and dark yields to light…"_

As the song died away, Smaug recognised it. She had sung it once before, some little song her family had once sung to her Smaug thought he remembered her saying. But she never made it past the first two verses, something always choked in her and she wouldn't continue. Now was no different, but for some reason… it felt different.

Smaug sighed, and didn't bother trying to force himself to sleep, and allowed himself to think. He thought of everything, of the past, of his hoard, of why he had kidnapped the girl, of why he imprisoned her, of her words, meeting her half way, of what she had done, and then… of her choosing him.

He thought for so long he wasn't even aware of the night coming in full bloom and passing over as the dark shadow of night yielded to the light of the morning sun. It almost shocked him that he had thought the whole night away.

Looking up at the cage hanging from the ceiling, hearing the muttered curses as the human dreamed her restless dreams – not another vision but merely nightmares – Smaug knew that his mind had been made up.

Without considering to be quiet or stealthy, Smaug went to the cage and opened the door, reaching inside as plucked the human into his grasp and brought her out. She awoke with a start, her heart panicking for a moment as she wondered what was happening, before she remembered where she was. He saw the confusion across her face as he put her down upon the gold. They stared at one another, and Kathryn didn't move as he let his eyes fix on her, although he didn't try to put his dragon-spell upon her.

"You would give me your word that you would stay here, of your own free will," Smaug stated, his eyes narrowing as he allowed a subtle hint of a challenge to enter his voice. "You would not leave, you would not try to escape and you would do as you're told?"

Kathryn was not stupid, he could see it; she knew that if ever there was a time to not lie to him it was now. But she still answered straight away.

"Yes,"

"And I'm to just take your word for this like a fool?" he hissed, lips quivering in a growl. "How do I know that this promise will be kept?"

"You'll just have to trust me," Kathryn murmured simply.

They stared at each other, Smaug's eyes narrowing as he watched her, looking for any form of deceit or traitorous intent. When the silence seemed to have gone on for a while, Kathryn spoke up.

"Truce?" she offered. Smaug growled a little as he looked at her.

"Truce,"

* * *

"Using me, battles are never fought alone. With me, bonds are never broken. Reveal my identity. You are Loyalty."


	6. Chapter 6 - Interlude

Chapter 6 – Interlude

"I'm rarely touched, but often held; if you have wit, you'll use me well. What am I? – A tongue"

* * *

Kathryn yawned, her shoulders slumping as her eyes became heavy lidded. She leaned against her table, shaking her head to try and wake herself up, fiery locks flicking her face as she did so. It didn't help the sweet scent of Gandalf's pipe was most relaxing, making her head feel heavy as it bobbed.

"I'm sorry Gandalf," Kathryn murmured, rubbing her face as she looked at her guest with tired eyes. "It seems I'm not exactly in the best of ways to tell my story,"

"It's quite alright my dear," Gandalf said softly as he stood, looking down at her with a kind smile. "I should let you get some sleep, you can tell me anything else if you so wish tomorrow,"

"Thank you," she whispered, getting to her feet, stumbling a little when her left leg wouldn't support her. Shaking it to try and wake up her stiff muscles, she woodenly walked to a door leading to the back of the cottage, and looked over her shoulder to Gandalf. "Come, you can sleep in my bed tonight," she said softly.

"Oh my dear; that won't be necessary, you are more exhausted then I. Don't worry, I will –"

"Gandalf please," the woman gave him a tired smile. "I remember my mother enough to know that she would be mortified if I didn't give up my bed to house-guests in more need of it then I,"

"And by that, what would you be implying?" Gandalf asked as he raised an eyebrow playfully.

"That great wizards come before humble ladies," Kathryn intoned, bowing dramatically to him.

"You're not with the dragon anymore," Gandalf said softly, kindly. Kathryn looked up at him, her eyes shining slightly from an emotion he could not place. "You do not need to flatter me to help me agree,"

"Old habits are hard to break," she whispered, her eyes going to stare into the flames sadly.

Kathryn showed him to her small room, with a single bed of a soft mattress and blankets. She left him with a candle, making sure the one window in her room was tightly shut against the storm outside. Then, Kathryn bid the old man goodnight, and closed the door behind her as she came back to the main room.

Settling back into her chair by the fire – which Gandalf had kept warm for her as he had patiently listened to her story – Kathryn wrapped her shoal around her shoulders a little tighter, tucking her feet underneath her as she tried to get comfortable. Her fingers drifting to settle to the string at her neck, the end hidden away beneath her clothes close to her heart.

She had been right, her body was exhausted, and it wasn't long after she closed her eyes that she fell into the darkness of sleep.

But even in dreams, peace didn't come, as the darkness soon gave way to a place that did not exist but here in these dreams. Kathryn felt young, almost child-like energy filling her.

She felt the presence before she turned to see him, knowing him to be there. She smiled as she beheld the familiar figure, a man with tough, pale skin, a strong jaw and short black hair shadowing his fiery eyes.

* * *

Kathryn awoke the next morning to the smell of bacon and melting cheese. Frowning, she slowly roused herself enough to look around her home and see an old man with a long grey beard and grey robes in her kitchen cooking breakfast. Kathryn was slack-jawed as she wondered what on Middle-Earth was going on…

And then slowly, the memories of last night came back to her.

Sitting up in her chair, Kathryn cracked her back to try and be rid of the pain in her spine from being kept in the chair for too long. Standing, she stretched her arms, coming to stand in the doorway and lean against the door frame as she watched the rather marvellous sight of Gandalf the Grey cooking breakfast in her kitchen.

"Good morning my dear," Gandalf smiled as he turned to her, and Kathryn couldn't help but grin as she saw his robes a little dirty with flour and grease.

"What do you mean?" Kathryn asked, and gave a half smile when she saw the old wizard frown in confusion. "Do you wish me a good morning or mean that it is a good morning whether I wish it to be or not or that you feel good this morning or that it is a morning to be good on?"

"Ha-ha!" Gandalf exclaimed with a hearty laugh. "I had not thought of that! Oh, I will surely have to remember that one," he then turned back to two plates as he carried them through to the table. "Here we are,"

Kathryn sat at the table, her stomach rumbling loudly as she looked at her plate of scrambled eggs, bacon with cheese melting on top, and toast. It looked marvellous! They both ate in silence, until of course Kathryn was half way through when she realised her lapse in manners and almost jumped from the table.

"Oh! By the Valar!" she cursed herself under her breath. "I'm so sorry Gandalf, would you like a cup of tea?"

"Oh, yes of course, thank you very much my dear," Gandalf smiled warmly as he watched her leave to prepare him some tea. He was trying to calm her nerves, but with each smile it seemed they only grew worse.

Kathryn quickly came back with the tea, and sat down as they both slowly consumed the breakfast before them. When they were finished, Kathryn gathered up the plates and took them through to the kitchen to put them in the sink.

"Thank you Gandalf, that was lovely," she said loudly so that he could hear her from the other room. "I'm sorry I wasn't up early enough to feed you – you should have woken me,"

"Nonsense Kathryn," Gandalf chuckled. "Making you breakfast was my chance to repay you for your hospitality and your story,"

Kathryn said nothing, but came back to the table, looking at the floor nervously. As if reading something off of her, Gandalf leaned forward and spoke softly.

"You do not have to tell me the rest, if you do not wish it," he murmured.

"No, I need to," she admitted. "As you said, it could help you,"

"Very well," Gandalf nodded.

"So where was I…" Kathryn thought for a moment.

"Smaug and yourself made truce to better protect both of your best interests," Gandalf prompted.

"Oh yes!" Kathryn said, suddenly remembering.

"What happened after that?"

"Two months passed, Smaug and I seemed… better than before." Kathryn said, her eyes glazing over as she lost herself to the memories. "Like before, Smaug would go hunting every day in order to provide for me, and came back with something nutritional to keep me going, some of the things were obviously stolen. And after every meal, I would sing to him until he fell asleep, and then I would sleep to. But things were much more... _civil_ now: Smaug and I could at least _attempt_ to converse without death threats and temper rages. But Smaug wouldn't let me out of the fortress, which was understandable. Instead, I had Erebor to explore.

"Winter had just set in, when **_it_** happened… and everything changed."

* * *

**Author's Note: Short chapter, mainly filler but still relevant, I believe. But please review! Tell me what you think of the story so far, and what is your opinion on everything that's happened? would love to hear your thoughts :)**

**Also, I've decided that I may do a sequel for this story, bbbbbuuuuutttttttt... I want you guys to help me decide! On my profile is a poll on the ideas I have for what to do after this story. Do I directly continue it? Put it in a AU? Or leave it alone? Don't be shy, either now or when this story ends, please vote if you want it to continue! And how! **

**Love you guys! x**


	7. Chapter 7 - Songs In The Night

**Author's Note: so can I just say a HUGE thank you to everyone who is reviewing! Seriously, you guys make my day, you give me the motivation to get these chapters out as fast as I do - I'm surprised my fingers aren't burning where I'm typing so fast XD **

**Once again, a big thank you to ****Ellie's Imagination World**** for helping me find the song! But on a side note, I have a couple of important assignments coming up, so next chapter might not be so quick up as the last few updates. sorry :( **

**But anyway, here is the big "IT" that you all wanted so badly to see! Please Read, Enjoy and REVIEW! **

* * *

Chapter 7 – Songs In The Night

"A Lark could carry it where a strong man could not, what am I? A Tune"

* * *

Kathryn was surprised at how… normal she felt.

Never in her wildest dreams had she thought that she would find herself living in the company of a dragon to be… normal. It was the complete opposite, but Kathryn had decided that if she constantly spent her life in fear then she would die of a heart attack before the age of thirty. She was still cautious around Smaug, most definitely, but now things were… almost manageable.

As the two months passed and winter set its bitter grip upon the land, Kathryn felt the cold bite at her ankles in the night, no matter how hot it was due to Smaug's sulphurous breath and stone-melting fire. Then realising that she was dressed in little more than rags, she began to… "Discreetly" search through the trunks and cases containing many fine gowns and splendid clothes. Most of them were worth a fortune, and feeling guilty about using them Kathryn would put them back, her hands stroking along the fabric longingly, wondering of what it must have been like to wear such finery, to be a lady or a queen that could afford such marvels! Other outfits had been too… _much_. Some for balls, others for summer, others just to show off certain fabrics and jewels stitched into the seams. She soon grew frustrated at the fact that she couldn't find simple breeches or travelling tunics. Even for men she would have been happy! Finally she had settled on a dress that was floor length, more durable than the others, warm, and soft to the touch. When she put it on, she couldn't help but grin like a little girl.

The under-skirts and long sleeves were a warm creamy beige, giving her skin a healthy glow; the rippling sur-coat was a light lilac, bringing out the ruby red of her hair and matching her violet eyes. A fur scarf made of minx pelts was also available to wrap around her shoulders. Kathryn grinned as she looked at herself in a dusty mirror, before turning to her only companion.

"What do you think?" she asked brightly.

Smaug lifted his head and regarded her with lazy eyes before settling down again.

"You are wearing clothing," was all he said.

"And you are master for stating the obvious, Oh Smaug!" Kathryn muttered under breath as she scowled.

"Is there a reason for this?" Smaug snapped.

"I just…" Kathryn trailed off; she didn't know what she had been thinking. What did she want from him, recognition? A compliment? Not likely, she knew, and sighed as her cheeks burned with embarrassment.

"Why are you flushing?" Smaug asked with a raised eye ridge, watching her.

"It's nothing," she snapped quickly. Smaug growled to himself, but let her be.

Kathryn looked around, suddenly finding that she was at the edges of the chamber and there appeared to be an… archway of some description. A small opening, only five feet high and three feet wide, Kathryn had to hunch down in order to fit through. She looked up the passage which faded into darkness for some way.

"Is this a passageway?" Kathryn called out.

"You can try to escape," Smaug growled loudly. "But there's nothing at the other side, just a dead-end,"

"I gave you my word," Kathryn said to him, her eyes almost… hurt that he would assume she would break it.

Smaug was silent, merely returning to lounging on his gold and closing his eyes once again.

Kathryn went back to wandering around the mounds of treasure in the great chamber. Over the past two months she had been surprised at the amount of history that was contained here, and she had learned a lot of dwarvish lore and history over her time. Although she had been careful not to read too much encase it caused another vision. She was actually quite astonished that she had not had a vision in over two months, usually she couldn't go a week without one; it was almost… heavenly, so joyous to think that this might be the end… perhaps the magic and power of Smaug himself was enough to interrupt the flow of her own magical energy. Whatever the means, she was eternally grateful.

Sighing as boredom and a restlessness grew within her, a small part of her longing for a conversation with another human-being. Yes, when she had been on the road she had wanted to be as far from civilisation as possible, but she would still have gone to settlements in order to trade and get supplies. But without the contact of another creature, she felt odd.

An idea came to her, one so rash and stupid she had to act quickly before she thought better of it.

"What breaks but never falls?" Kathryn asked suddenly. Smaug opened one eye to regard her, a small blink as to the only sign of his confusion.

"Pardon?" he rumbled.

"I asked you a riddle," Kathryn said simply, as if this were obvious. "I heard that dragons enjoy riddles. Am I wrong?"

"No, but…"

"If you have something better to do then to take up the challenge that a _lowly mortal_ such as myself has issued then, by all means, back down." Kathryn tried to fight the smirk on her face as she watched the great dragon growl and huff, smoke curling from his nostrils as he regarded her with irritation.

"I am Smaug!" he snapped at her. "We dragon-kin are mightier than any race in Arda! Our minds more cunning then your greatest scholars, and I am the greatest of the age! I am more than a match for your riddles."

"Well, I don't know about that…" Kathryn said nervously, making sure her challenge was more than obvious.

"'You don't know about that'," he growled, mocking her word for word. "Fine! Ask your riddle,"

"Good. I'll ask again: what breaks but never falls?"

Smaug sat there thinking for all of two seconds.

"The Dawn," he said simply. Kathryn blinked at how fast he had got that… well, she had been prepared for this.

"Correct, now you're turn," she said.

"What?" he raised an eye ridge as he narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously.

"That's the game Smaug," Kathryn smiled. "I ask one, you answer correctly, and then you ask one in return. We keep going until one gives in or loses," The dragon gave an exasperated sigh, but Kathryn saw the competitive gleam in his eye and knew he was hooked.

"You will find him in the mountains, and you'll find him in the creek. He has no mouth – Yet he speaks in every tongue. He has no ears – And yet will answer every cry. Always having the final word. You heard me before, yet you hear me again, then I die, 'Till you call me again."

Oh, that was more difficult. Kathryn had given him an easy one to try and get into the game – obviously that was a mistake. Smaug wanted to go back to sleeping, the sooner she lost, the sooner he could. But Kathryn wasn't going to make it that easy for him.

She considered his words: she gathered it was something to do with a voice by the whole "speaks in every tongue" and "answers every cry", but that last line…

"An echo?" she said suddenly, eyes wide as she looked at the dragon.

"Correct," Smaug sighed. Kathryn grinned and proceeded into the next riddle.

"When Young I am tall, When old I am small, with life I do glow, yet the breath of men is my foe. What be I?"

Smaug looked at her, his eyes narrowing slightly. He thought it over, mumbling to himself as he sorted through the words of the riddle, his eyes coming alive as his brilliantly cunning mind shifted through the meaning to find the answer.

"A Candle," he said finally.

"Correct," Kathryn said. "My father told me that when I was young," Kathryn said, a sad smile coming to her face as she thought of her family, before… she shook herself and turned back to Smaug."Didn't think it was that hard when I was younger but…"

That was treading on dangerous territory, she knew as Smaug fixed her with a glare. Kathryn swallowed as she tried to reign in her attitude – truce or not, Smaug was still as deadly as before. If she laughed at him to his face, he may go into a rage.

"It cannot be seen, cannot be felt, Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt." Smaug started the riddle, his tone hard as he continued, not slowing as he glared at her. "It lies behind stars and under hills, And empty holes it fills. It comes first and follows after, Ends life, kills laughter."

Kathryn swallowed loudly, blinking and moving her gaze from his face. Smaug was putting on the pressure, he wasn't taking it easy on her and Kathryn was struggling as she tried to figure it out. She sat there for ten minutes trying to work at the riddle, refusing to be beaten at her own game. One phrase kept nagging at her, "it lies behind stars"… but the only thing that was behind stars was the night sky and…

"Do you finally yield?" Smaug asked with a gloating smirk.

"The Dark," Kathryn whispered, eyes going wide as she finally realised the answer. "It's the dark!" she yelled triumphantly.

"Stubborn woman," Smaug growled as he scowled at her.

"Alright then, my turn," Kathryn said. She needed to up her game, she needed a riddle with an answer that Smaug had little to no experience with. But he was centuries old! It had to be something he never used, something he would never guess… "It begins and ends with the letter 'E', contains one letter, but it is not the letter 'E'." She said finally, turning to the dragon.

Smaug frowned at her, wondering what she was thinking, and again began to mutter to himself. His brilliant eyes shifted as he focused on the riddle. And as it took him longer and longer, a brilliant smile began to form on Kathryn's face. Had she beaten him?

"An Envelope," Smaug said suddenly, smirking again as he watched her face fall. "My turn now," he muttered, now rather enjoying her failure. "What has metal on the outside but ﬂesh on the inside, no corners but two edges?"

Now rather annoyed, Kathryn was tempted to not answer, or to deliberately take forever. But then she thought against it, her own pride and stubbornness too much to allow her to lose. She scowled when Smaug settled himself on his piles of gold, closing his eyes dramatically as if he knew she would take forever.

She thought about what could have metal skin but fleshy innards… a suit of armour? No that had corners… two edges… a knife? No, no flesh on the inside… no corners, that meant it was round… but two edges? No! Not edges: Sides! Then with flesh on the inside –

"Aha!" she exclaimed. "A Ring: It's a – ARGH!"

Smaug's eyes snapped open, his pupils thinning to blade edges at the sound. He reared up, looking over to see Kathryn fall to the ground, writhing as she screamed so loud Smaug felt his sensitive ears complain at the sound.

She was going into another vision, Smaug saw as he watched her iris's expand and envelop her eyes until they were glowing orbs of violet light. She arched her back, bones cracking as she held herself in an unnatural position, her hands clenched into fists at her sides so that she wouldn't harm herself. Her screams soon died away to be replaced by a chanting hiss on her lips as she uttered the ancient language of magic.

But something was wrong, as Smaug watched, he saw her fists were clenched so hard that her nails punctured through her skin until he could smell the blood in her hands. She began to tremble, then shake, her whole body quivering uncontrollably as if she were possessed. She began to foam at the mouth like a rabid animal, the muttering soon became shrieks until her voice grew hoarse.

Suddenly, she contorted, and her body began to thrash around wildly, until the sounds of her bones protesting could be heard as they were almost snapped and dislocated several times. She began to scream in terror and agony, until Smaug could smell the stench of her fear as it consumed his senses. Her eyes rolled in her head as she began to succumb, blood appearing from her nose and ears.

The vision was killing her.

Smaug knew this with an almost horrified certainty, as he watched her body strain and fight against the severity of the vision. If she survived this alone then her mind would be burned to nothing, if not, then it would kill her. This fact alone forced him to act.

Carefully gripping her in one hand, trying his best to be gentle so as not to harm her or set her body into a greater fit of spasms, he brought her back towards him and laid her down beside his massive bulk. He couldn't help but notice that she was cold to the touch, even though sweat beaded on her forehead, and usually Smaug was so warm that he couldn't automatically register her body heat against him as her body warmed up with his. But feeling her so cold, and staying cold, as soon as he placed her down upon the gold, he coiled his tail around her, allowing the heat to surround her, hoping to warm her freezing body. The end of his tail he lightly placed across her middle, effectively restraining her from doing further damage to herself.

What Smaug was about to do had never before been done to a human, it might go completely wrong, but if he did nothing then Kathryn was doomed. Hovering his head above her body, Smaug tilted his face so that one of his enormous eyes was directly above her face, no more than a few feet between them. He fixed her gaze with his eyes, until their stares locked, even in this state her body naturally fell under his hypnotising dragon-spell. As their gazes connected, Smaug allowed his blade thin pupils to become wider and wider, the black soon engulfing her as he felt the electrical charge of magic rush between them.

And with that rush, Smaug felt himself being propelled from his own body and into those swirling violet eyes, and was soon descending through a tunnel of memories, sensations, emotions, space, and time.

* * *

_Kathryn looked around, her face a mask of horror as she saw the great battle waged around her. _

_Upon a dark land, on the slopes of a mountain that roared and burned with fire, Kathryn stood in the middle of a battle. Elves and Men, clad in gold and silver armour fought against a dark army with black armour, mad eyes and vicious fangs as they howled for blood. _

_The two armies clashed around her, the battle was intense, and Kathryn wash pushed and shoved as soldiers of both sides fought to get at their enemies. Kathryn saw that there was no shining armour, no noble battle, no glory in this. There was just blood, filth and death that surrounded her. Although she was ignored by all, she was surprised to find that they could touch her – normally in a vision when she was ignored, she was not a part of the physical world, but in this she was for she felt the mud splatter her face, the blood of men, elves, goblins, orcs, and other monsters stained her hair and clothes. Yes, she was there as she felt each impact from an elbow or shoulder leave a bruise on her body, but she was merely… ignored. And that terrified her._

_As she saw the armies of men and elves push back against the darkness, she felt the same as them: hope. The end of the battle was close at hand, victory was near. She saw a human man upon a white battle-charger, noticing the crown upon his helmet to signify him as the King; he raised his sword as he roared, and his brethren redoubled their efforts, empowered by the spirit their King gave them._

_That was when Kathryn felt something cold and dark settle over her heart, a despair that filled her to the point where she felt nothing else but hollow and afraid. She saw the same feeling come over the others, and saw them freeze as they stared at something, their faces growing pale as they beheld something monstrous. The battle seemed to pause around her as everyone, from both armies turned to face whatever had just appeared in their midst._

_Kathryn turned, and through the wall of soldiers around her saw an image that made her heart almost freeze over with absolute terror._

_A man, taller than any other, clad in black armour with spikes and spines decorating almost all points of him, until he seemed to be a walking monstrous skeleton. His helmet was adorned with spikes that went straight up, giving him the appearance of a crown of horns. But his eyes, the small holes in the helmet that held his eyes… were black. It was as if there was nothing beneath, but darkness. He held a mace in his clawed-gauntlet hands, and Kathryn saw the shine of a golden ring upon his finger. Suddenly hearing whispers all around her, Kathryn felt something dark settle over her soul, as she felt the cold hands of death and evil pluck at her being. _

_With a swing of his mace, there was a bright flash, and Kathryn felt the tremble in the air of powerful magic. Something pulsed out of the man and as his mace hit the golden army, a dozen men went flying, screaming as they were thrown back almost twenty feet! Turning again, the dark king swung his club again sending another score of men back, his ring pulsing every time he channelled his power. _

_As if knowing that she could feel each and every pulse of magic, the dark king turned to her, and Kathryn realised with a gasp of horror, that there were no more men in front of her, and she came face to face with the Dark Lord: Sauron. _

_The black holes for his eyes actually looked deep __**into her**__, and Kathryn trembled in terror, wanting to scream but unable to get past the lump in her throat as she stood there paralysed by the power the figure commanded. _

_Slowly, he reached out a clawed hand towards her, as if he might grab her throat, his golden ring glinting as it whispered and pulsed threateningly._

_Suddenly, there was a sound of a huge thunderclap, and the sky split in half as a gigantic creature descended from the clouds. Kathryn turned and opened her mouth in awed horror as a dragon soared over the battlefield, its eyes glowing a brilliant gold as its gaze locked onto her, and landed in the middle of the battlefield, a shock-wave passing through the earth as the ground took on the massive creature's weight._

_But no one paid attention to the creature; indeed, it seemed as if no one had noticed, it was as if they couldn't see him._

_And then Kathryn recognised the fearsome dragon as Smaug._

_Suddenly, Sauron made to grab her, but was stopped by the flash of a sword as the human king blocked his path, challenging him. Sauron looked at the human, and without any sound, turned and smashed his mace into the King, the power of the ring sending him flying and smashing into the rocky side of the mountain, and everyone could hear his bones snap. Another man yelled, and ran over to the dead king, and held his broken face in his hands, tears in his eyes. Sauron then gave the younger man his full attention as he approached, going after his prey with a clawed hand…_

_Using this distraction, the dragon came to Kathryn until he was standing above her. But Kathryn scooted away, breathing hard as she tried to keep control of herself. Was this another part of the vision? Her mind playing foul tricks on her? Her imagination increasing the nightmare? How many times had she tossed and turned in her dreams as she dreamt of this monstrous creature tearing her apart, burning her, eating her… and now it came to hunt her even in her visions._

_"_Kathryn…_" the dragon spoke, his voice oddly echoing around in her ears, as if he was not part of the world around her. "_Come here, now,_" he commanded, holding out a hand as he reached to grab her. _

_Kathryn screamed, causing the dragon to blink and pause, slightly taken aback as she scooted further from him._

_"_No!_" she whispered to herself, tears stinging her eyes. "_You're just another part of the vision, I will not submit to you!_"_

_"_Enough of this nonsense!_" the dragon growled. "_Kathryn, do as I command! If you do not then you will die here!_"_

_"__**No!**__" she screamed, covering her ears and curling into a ball as she tried to make the hallucination go away, to banish it, but all she got was a searing pain across her mind._

_Smaug felt her try to banish him, but resisted as he rooted himself in her mind. He looked frantic as he watched her, realising that she thought him to be part of the vision somehow. Or a nightmare… she was terrified beyond all reason, and commanding her wasn't helping. His jaw tightened as he ground his teeth, his lips curled when he decided to do something he never thought he'd do: he'd beg._

_Kathryn opened her eyes to see the dragon was gone, and in his place stood a man, perhaps just under seven feet tall, wearing only breeches and a loose shirt, his skin was worn but pale, his strong jaw and high cheek bones made him almost… handsome. His short black hair put his eyes in shadow, but Kathryn could still see the glow of his flame yellow eyes as they locked onto hers. The man then held out his large hand to her, a simple offering, respecting the space of a few feet that was between them._

_"_Kathryn,_" said a voice that could only have belonged to Smaug, although slightly smaller due to the smaller chest producing it. "_Kathryn this is just a dream, it is not real."

_"_But he knows I'm here…_" Kathryn whispered, her eyes darting around for the Dark King with terror. "_He can get me,_"_

_"_I won't let that happen,_" Smaug locked his eyes onto hers so that it was all she could see, although she did not feel the effects of the dragon-spell upon her. "_Just remember, this is not real. Take my hand and it will be over,_" he paused, and she saw his jaw set as he asked in a whisper: "_Please…_"_

_"_Smaug would never ask_," Kathryn said suspiciously. The human-Smaug chuckled darkly, but when he looked back at her he was almost… agreeing? _

_"_You're right. But I'm asking now,_" he said._

_Kathryn looked up at him, still somewhat unsure, but something in her… pushed. And she reached up and took his hand. _

_Kathryn felt the world around her spin and shift as the dark lands of Mordor vanished and she was suddenly placed in the middle of a forest, the sun peaking between the leaves to cast shafts of light down onto the earth. Wobbling from the force of such a movement, Kathryn felt her legs tremble and then collapse. She looked up in awe at the space around her, so different from the horror she had just witnessed. _

_"_W-where are we_?" she asked in a voice just barely above a whisper._

_"_Somewhere temporary until you can gain control of yourself_," Smaug grumbled beside her._

_"_Wait! Did you hear that?_" Kathryn whispered, her eyes going wide as she looked around frantically. She had heard it, the whispers of voices, the pulse of power… the ring… she had heard its magic speak to her own, and where that ring was…_

_She then felt the darkness and cold settle over her like a shadow, and knew that he was there. Was it possible that he had come through with them? Was he here, now?!_

_"_No… No, no, no!" _She screeched, scrambling to her feet as she tried to flee, to run, but felt strong arms wrap around her, restraining her arms to her chest as she felt someone hold her, pressing her against his chest. Kathryn struggled, her mind beginning to go into an overwhelming panic as she heard the heavy footsteps in the shadows of the trees. Felt his presence as surely as if he were breathing upon her face._

_"_Kathryn,_" she heard Smaug grunt as his arms held her with such strength that her attempts to shove him away proved useless. "_Calm yourself!_"_

_"_He's coming…_" she uttered in a terrified whisper. "_He found us… he's coming!_"_

_"_This is not real! You are in control here, you can stop this._"_

_"_You weren't there!_" she hissed. _"You didn't see him… he knew I was there, he could almost reach for me!_"_

_"_Close your eyes!_" Smaug demanded in a hiss, his breath almost scalding hot by her ear. _"Close your eyes and stop this – it is not real!_"_

_"_He's coming… He'll get me!_"_ _She whimpered, pushing her back deeper against the man's chest, feeling his arms tighten around her._

_"_I will burn him before he gets close."_ Smaug growled menacingly, but… not at her. "_I swear to you, he will not have you. Just close your eyes,"

_Kathryn did as she was told, holding the arms that held her and burying her face into the biceps of the man's left arm._

_"_Now imagine somewhere safe… take us there,"_ Smaug's voice was like the purr of a tiger and the rumble of thunderstorm, making it oddly comforting as well as dangerous._

_Kathryn tried to block out the dread in her soul, focusing her mind only on the arms around her, the solid chest behind her, the voice in her ear. She focused her mind on somewhere safe… somewhere warm… somewhere welcome…_

_When she opened her eyes, she was in the chamber of the Lonely Mountain, the mounds of gold all around her, a soft light and warmth filling the air. The presence behind her released her, and she saw the human-Smaug walk around a few paces in amazement as he looked at everything, brushing a hand along the nearest gold to caress it lovingly. He then turned to her, an odd look upon his face as he beheld her… was it astonishment?_

_"_You chose here?"_ he asked._

_Kathryn didn't say anything, only folded her arms across her chest as she watched him warily. _

_Suddenly Smaug strode forward, until he was directly in front of her, his huge form dwarfing her as he loomed above. With his huge human hands, he clasped her face in his tight grip and held their noses only a few centimetres apart so that all she could see was his eyes. _

_She felt her heart suddenly do a flip and then race until it practically drowned out all other sounds. And she was suddenly very aware of how close he was. But Smaug never allowed her gaze to wonder from anywhere but his eyes as he stared at her._

_Kathryn then felt something as their gazes locked, like a rush of energy that passed between them. And then, slowly, Smaug's unusually wide pupils got thinner and thinner until –_

* * *

Smaug felt the energy between them flow and then cut itself off, and he was returned to his own body. He shuddered upon re-entering the physical realm, blinking as his eyes became normal and focused once again: it was unsettling to say the least.

He heard the human take in a huge gasping breath as she came back, her hands going out as if to steady herself from falling, her fingers coming into contact with his scales, gripping his tail with shaking hands. He was almost surprised at how tightly she gripped him – for a human. He watched her face as awareness slowly came back to her, her breathing shaky as she blinked to clear her vision.

Her eyes locked with his, but Smaug didn't see the sudden hypnotism that the dragon-spell created, and was puzzled by this… until he realised that she was staring at how close his face was to hers, hovering a few short feet above her own. Rearing back away from her, Smaug shook himself to rid the stiffness in his neck from holding himself still for so long. He didn't know how long he'd been inside the human's head, it felt like hours…

He was then aware of the human trembling, and thinking she was going back into a vision, he snapped his head back to look at her. Only to find her there, shivering, her skin unusually pale, sweat on her face, holding herself as she trembled as if from cold.

Without a word – or time to realise what he was doing – Smaug tightened the coils of his tail around her until her body was wrapped against the heat of his flesh and he could feel every shake, every pulse, every breath. She almost hissed in pain as his body heat felt like the searing pain of a branding iron against her stone cold body. But Smaug ignored her, merely keeping his presence around her, and slowly but surely the cold left her body, although he still felt her shake from shock, the after effects of her terror still setting in.

She looked at him in an unusual way, her eyes watching him for every little movement he made, her eyes narrowing as if she wanted to see into him to know what he was thinking. He snorted, trying to rid himself of how… _bare_ he felt under her gaze. As if she were peeling back his scales to reveal the soft flesh underneath.

"Y-you… saved me…" she whispered in a hoarse voice. By the ether, Smaug hated the sound of her voice, cracked and dried from the screaming. Somehow it made him feel… inadequate, as if he had failed at something. What was he thinking?!

He said nothing to her, merely waiting for her to draw her own conclusion. As if this confirmed something, her eyes suddenly became misted with that pathetic thing that mortals did when they were unhappy… "_crying_" he thought it was called. He almost growled. She was unhappy? The ungrateful worm could keep her –

"Thank you," she whispered reverently.

Smaug froze, his thoughts coming to a standstill as he tried to process this. He grumbled, the only sign that he acknowledged what she had said. Kathryn seemed to collapse, as if she were too exhausted to keep her eyes open. But he saw that sleep would not claim her, for she continued to fidget, and every now and again she would tremble with fear. Fear that her nightmares would resume as soon as she closed her eyes.

"Sing," he murmured. Kathryn opened her eyes slightly, staring at him in confusion. "It will help to calm you. Sing,"

Licking her dry lips, Kathryn watched him nervously. But too tired to argue, did as she was told.

"We knew that land once, You and I,  
and once we wandered there  
in the long days now long gone by,  
a dark child and a fair.  
Was it on the paths of firelight thought  
in winter cold and white,  
or in the blue-spun twilit hours  
of little early tucked-up beds  
in drowsy summer night,  
that you and I in Sleep went down  
to meet each other there,  
your dark hair on your white nightgown  
and mine was tangled fair?"

Towards the end, Smaug felt himself begin to growl out a purr or a hum, not really staying in tune – he wasn't even singing with her – he was merely providing a constant sound along with the music. Because, as he suspected, the song calmed the human just enough so that she began to give into her exhaustion: slowly fading into unconsciousness. She would have awoken from the interruption in the lullaby, but for Smaug's own hum that filled the chamber like the bass of thunder, providing a constant sound that allowed her to fall asleep.

Smaug had to wonder why this was happening. He was allowing a human to sleep in his coils, beside him, on him, as if he were some pathetic mortal beast doing the bidding of its master! But somehow… this didn't feel that way. He knew he should be outraged; he was Smaug the terrible after all. But for some reason, he didn't.

He watched the sleeping figure inside the curl of his tail, his brilliant glowing eyes taking in every aspect of her. Her pale skin gleaming with dew; her long curling hair the colour of rubies with natural flecks of gold that one could only see in a certain light… just like his own scales. Then her closed eyes, hiding from him the brilliant shine of her gaze, forever defiant and strong, even in the face of danger, such as himself; a beautiful colour like amethysts.

And now he was calling a human "beautiful"? Perhaps melding his consciousness with hers had addled his brain, he was thinking like a pathetic mortal. Why was he behaving this way?

Because he had come close to losing her… He realised with a bad twist of his stomach that he came to realise meant dread – _so that is what it feels like_, he thought. This wasn't like when she ran away, his rage had compelled him and he had known that he would find her, so had she; it had been inevitable. No, this time, he had seen her in death's arms, had known that she was one step away from breathing her last breath, and he had done everything in his power to snatch her away from that fate. He hadn't and wouldn't allow it!

He had felt her fear in the dream, the sheer absolute terror as if it were something physical in the air. But he had calmed her, he had felt her shrink into him, sought his comfort, yearned for his protection. It had empowered his ego to no end and had also filled him with a dark and fierce desire to protect her from whatever monstrosity she faced.

And then, when he told her to bring them somewhere safe, he had expected some childhood memory, some filthy human squalor. But instead, she had brought them here, to his lair, to him. That made him feel… he didn't know exactly, it was most puzzling to say the least.

He sighed, this was too much to think about tonight. So he simply laid down his head, instinctively curling around the tiny figure in his grasp, and went to sleep.

He vowed that he would never come so close to losing her again.

* * *

**A/N: okay, so I hope you enjoyed this Chapter, it was really fun to write and I hope good to read! Tell me what you think of: The Riddles? The Vision? Sauron? Smaug in the dream? Singing? Smaug's little internal conflict? Would love to hear your thoughts! :)**

**Also, just to remind everyone that I have the poll on my wall that asks how do you think I should continue this? Obviously this is not the end - you'll know when this is done - but I want a sense of where people want me to go with this so far :)**


	8. Chapter 8 - Magic

**Author's Note: Hey guys! So, I got a break between my assignments and whipped this up for you! YAY ME! :) This was originally half of the original Chapter 8 in my plan for how this story will unfold, but I decided that I would split it up so that I could drag this story out for as long as possible (without making it boring and unnecessary I hope) so while this has a bit of filler IT IS STILL IMPORTANT FOR LATER ON! And on the plus side, you guys have been giving me awesome reviews so I decided to give you this as a reward. Keep the reviews coming in, I love to hear your feedback and much appreciate any review. **

**For this chapter, would just like to shout out a huge thank you to Fuchsia Grasshopper for the song "Humbling River" by Puscifer and Ellie's Imagination World for the poem. For the other Song, if you want to type into google "Benedict Cumberbatch - The Angel Sings" it is awesome and gives me chills! I know that neither of the songs are Tolkien or Middle-Earth (as all songs have been in previous chapters) I felt that they fit for the mood. **

**Oh and one more thing, I don't have Tumblr or Twitter or Youtube accounts, so if anyone can spread the word about this story across the internet I would be most grateful - this is actually one of my projects that I'm proud of so far. Thank You!**

* * *

Chapter 8 – Magic

"It may only be given,

Not taken or bought,

What the sinner desires,

But the saint does not

- Forgiveness"

* * *

The darkness thinned as Kathryn slowly came back from the land of her dreams, her mind feeling heavy, her thoughts slow as sleep slowly faded and she became more aware of her surroundings. She felt the warmth that enveloped her, making her face flushed from the heat. It was delicious, and she snuggled closer, hoping to get comfortable and fade back into unconsciousness. As if in response, her bed shifted slightly, wrapping tighter around her.

Kathryn frowned slightly, her eyes still closed, as she shifted, trying to get comfortable. Her bed was rough, hard and bumpy, but it was wonderfully warm. It was much more comfortable then sleeping on piles of gold or stone, for this had a little bit of give to it, but the way that she laid on it made her body ache slightly. She shifted again, and as she did, once again her bed shifted with her, responding to her movements as if to get a better hold of her.

Wanting to see what kind of rodent or critter was in her sheets, she blinked her eyes as the world blurred but slowly came into focus as she tried to sit up and look around her groggily.

And then she saw that she was surrounded by red scales.

Her eyes widened and she froze, her body instantly coming awake, all traces of sleep banished from her body as she sat ridged, staring at the scales. Her mind couldn't seem to comprehend what was going on as she struggled to rationalise her surroundings.

The crimson red scales formed the long, snake like tail, that was wrapped around her, the heat of the flesh enveloping her. The blade like end of the tail was placed across her waist, almost pinning her down as the coils held her, and each time she shifted or moved, they would move with her, always keeping her there.

Blinking partly in panic and partly in wonderment, Kathryn followed the trail of the tail with her eyes up to the body that she could see was nestled beside her, the huge mass dwarfing her until she felt like the size of an ant. The huge body flowed down to the serpentine neck and the ferocious head of the dragon Smaug that lay not three feet from her. His eyes were closed, but behind them she could see his eyes shifting as he dreamed, his snores were a dreadful noise as it echoed around the massive chamber, soft growls emitted here and there to accompany his rapid eye movements. He was mumbling in his sleep.

Kathryn was stunned for several moments, her breath caught in her throat as she didn't know what to do. But then… the memories started to filter back into her mind. She remembered the vision, the horrible nightmare, Smaug appearing in the dream, he helped her escape it, and then, when they were brought back he helped to calm her until she fell unconscious. But… this? Kathryn didn't know what to make of this; she awoke in his coils, had he… had he allowed her to sleep beside him?

Her mouth fell open as she realised what had happened. She had expected Smaug to move away from her, to drop her where she lay and have his own peace. Perhaps he had been too exhausted by the ordeal himself and had not had the energy.

Suddenly feeling guilty for making him uncomfortable (and she had to double check that she wasn't going mad for thinking this), Kathryn decided to move so that he wouldn't have to wake up to her _touching_ him. Although that wasn't a good confidence boost, Kathryn almost found it normal to think that he would be disgusted by her. After all, he was the mightily dragon, and she was the lowly mortal.

She braced herself as she thought about how she would get herself out of this predicament. As a predator, Smaug would naturally wake on high alert if she forcibly moved him even an inch. Besides, his tail was almost too heavy for her to lift on her own. So she slowly eased herself to an angle, freezing in place as she allowed him to adjust to her new position, and then slowly wriggled so that his tail end slipped further down her waist and then down her legs until it nestled on the floor around her. Now she was standing, but still had a wall of scales between her and freedom.

Groaning inwardly, Kathryn lifted her skirts as she lifted her leg in an attempt to step over the first coil which was just higher than her knee.

But suddenly, she heard Smaug rumble in his sleep as he shifted to get comfortable, ruffling his wings and his tail twitching. But as he moved, his tail came into contact with nothing. And like a blind man reaching for his spectacles, his tail shifted as if it were searching for something. Kathryn inhaled sharply when the tail brushed against her ankle and then suddenly the coils were shifting to seize her and wrap her once again within their embrace, pulling her back down into her previous position. As she was pulled back sharply to the ground, Kathryn couldn't stop herself from yelping in surprise.

It was enough; the dragon grunted as he was awoken from his slumber, his eyelids fluttering as he drowsily came back to consciousness. He mumbled and growled, and then a soft sigh left his lips, so quiet Kathryn struggled to hear what it was at all.

"Kathryn…" he whispered; Kathryn felt something shiver down her spine as her heart did a little flip as she watched him with mounting anxiety. He blinked away the sleep in his eyes, rearing his head back as he yawned, flashing his gigantic teeth as he did so and stretching his claws, before he shut his jaws with a loud '_snap_'. He then turned, and his eyes settled on the human wrapped firmly within the coils of his tail.

They stared at one another.

"I see you have finally awoken," Smaug grumbled, as if in irritation. Kathryn restrained herself from commenting how she had been awake first. Smaug then removed his tail from her, and Kathryn suddenly felt a slight chill from the absence of his warmth, but said nothing.

She would have gotten up, walked off and gotten on with her normal daily routine. But what had happened last night… what **_had_** happened? She could remember everything that happened, from the vision and Smaug appearing in it, but as to the "why" of it all… she had no explanation to give…

"S-Smaug," Kathryn said, stumbling over the word a little nervously. The dragon watched her, glowing fiery eyes narrowing down at her. "What happened last night?"

"It appears your memory is as lacking as your stupidity is surprising," Smaug growled. "You lapsed into a vision, or did you forget that?"

"No, that's not what I meant," Kathryn stammered, an odd feeling of hurt at his words. "I mean… what did _you_ do? And why?"

"You wish to challenge me?" he said testily, his claws flexing as if in preparation for a fight.

"No!" Kathryn said quickly. "I didn't mean that at all, I swear; I meant… that-that I know so little of magic compared to your vast wealth of knowledge, I was only curious as to what powerful magic you used,"

Yes, her flattery had been a little over-the-top, but if it got him to talk then she was going to. After living with the dragon for a few months now, she had learned that in order to get any information out of him in this kind of mood, she either had to appeal to his ego or challenge him in just the right way to get him to show off. And frankly, after waking up in the creature's monstrous coils she was a little too shaken in order to challenge him.

But Smaug seemed satisfied – if a little suspicious – at her flattery.

"That vision was killing you," he stated simply. Kathryn felt a cold touch settle down her spine as she tried to process that thought, remembering the unimaginable pain that had consumed her before she had collapsed into the vision. "Some magic can prove to be too great, and a lesser mind would have been completely destroyed by the mere onslaught of such a vision. As it was, your mind was slowly crumbling to the raw magic the vision induced, and would have killed you eventually… or worse.

"So I intervened," Smaug continued, a boast beginning to enter his voice. "My mind in more complex and we dragons are part of the ancient magic itself. All I did was link our minds, therefore the magical energy was shared between us, giving me enough time to find you and take you out of the vision to another part of your mind, where the vision, the magic and the danger would have ceased. Which was easier said than done, considering your stupid, stubborn fear." He grumbled.

"I…" Kathryn began, utterly at a loss for words. "I didn't even know I could get out of a vision… I always thought I had to let it run its course. When I resisted before it just caused more pain,"

"That is where you were wrong right from the start," Smaug huffed condescendingly. "The answer was never to fight it, but to out-think it. When you fight against it you're only forcing the magic to overtake you by much more brutish force. The answer, is to give in, and then simply slip away and wait it out."

"Well, I…" Kathryn said, suddenly unsure of what to do now. The dragon fixed her with a glowing eye.

"You _what_, human?" he snapped impatiently.

"Thank you," she said.

Smaug watched her unblinkingly, not saying a word as he continued to stare at her. Kathryn would have sworn that she saw something in his eyes. Smaug may have been confused by her words, but she wasn't. He had gone out of his way to help her, and in so doing, he had saved her life. She had not asked him, he certainly wasn't obligated to, but he had done it all the same. And in her opinion, that was enough for her to thank him. Most sincerely.

"Thank you," she said again, before slowly walking away.

Smaug watched her, his eyes never leaving her form as she milled about the great chamber doing her usual routine: search through the treasures, explore the chamber, read various scrolls and books, etc. But today, there seemed to be an almost heavy awkwardness in the air between them. neither of them knew what to do now, a line had been crossed and neither had been aware that one had ever been drawn.

Smaug snorted and settled back onto his pile of gold, ruffling his wings in order to scoop and bury his middle in the gems and gold, the way it setted over his body was heavy and delicious. He feigned sleep for most of the day, when really he was paying close attention to the human that he had gained as an unlikely companion. With the fact that she had almost died the previous day, he was waiting to see if her mind would fall prey to other assaults of the same nature.

He knew that the second she fell would be the second after he would delve into her mind once again. She was part of his horde now, so that made him swear to care for her the same as he would his precious gold. She was one with his treasure, and no one would steal it from him, not even death or magic itself.

That was why he had decided that that night when she fell asleep, he would go into her mind in secret and simply observe. She had said once before that she sometimes had visions in her sleep. He would be there, and he would be watching from the shadows, and even in her mind she would be completely unaware of his presence. And it would stay that way until something forced him to reveal himself. Now that their minds had been opened and linked together once before, he no longer needed the eye contact in order to focus his energy to hers, or to find her consciousness, he would simply snap to her like a compass needle pointing to the north.

He continued to watch her, and she was completely unaware of his eyes always on her.

* * *

A few weeks had passed, and now, Kathryn lay asleep in dreams.

_She was standing upon stone steps that led up to a solitary peak overlooking a valley, and even as she looked up to the top she could see someone sitting on the top looking out to the west. The figure was huge, with massive broad shoulders and gigantic arms. She couldn't make out much detail as the darkness of the night was only broken by the moon that was setting behind the silhouette of the mountains in the west… exactly where the figure was looking._

_And then, the voice began to speak in a language that Kathryn had never heard before and didn't understand, but some part of her knew what he said: "The day will come when they will perish and I shall go back!" he growled in a voice that was so deep it was like the snarl of a wild animal, but there was such longing, yearning, grief and old hatred… _

_Some part of Kathryn knew this was a vision, and knew that she was about to see what had happened to this strange figure before her. But then… she felt something shift in the reality of the vision. Feeling her world change slightly like a physical part of her, she turned, finding that she had the will to change her focus in the vision. She looked back down the stone steps leading down to the forest below, and… somehow she knew that she could walk away from this. It was as if she had been in a room with no windows or doors, and then suddenly a door appeared, giving her the option to leave. _

_Kathryn felt her lips twitch slightly; she knew he was there._

_She walked down the stone steps and into the forest._

_For the past few weeks, Kathryn had been aware of a presence in her dreams, always watching her. She had constantly had the feeling that eyes were watching the back of her head, though she could never quite place it. But during the few small visions that she had had, miraculously escape routes had been provided for her, allowing her to leave the nightmares far behind. That was when she had known it was him, though she never saw him, never heard him, but she knew he was there._

_And she could feel him now, following, watching, waiting… _

_Kathryn walked through the forest until she came to a meadow, and she smiled as the moon shone down upon her, bringing the forest alive with a silver shine. _

_"I know you're there," she heard herself say. She felt an answering presence in the air around her, and although she turned to try and find him, she could not see him. "Why are you here?"_

_"In case you were foolish enough not to help yourself again," she heard the voice, undoubtedly his, but still could not see him, but rather, she __**felt**__ him._

_"May I see you?" _

_"If I allow it…" she could hear his amusement at her frustrating attempts to try and see him. _

_"I won't talk to the air, Smaug," Kathryn glowered at the sky angrily. _

_"You are in a dream," he muttered irritably. "Not everything has substance!"_

_"Yes, but you do," she countered. _

_"And what will you do if I don't?" he challenged her mockingly._

_Kathryn merely crossed her arms, looked to the floor and said nothing._

_"What is this?" she heard him mutter. _

_Kathryn didn't look up, she just continued to stay silent. _

_"What are you doing?" he snapped impatiently. When Kathryn remained silent, she heard him growl a warning. "Do not play games with me, human! Are you trying to mock me?!" _

_Kathryn had to bite her tongue and continuously remind herself that this was a dream, that he couldn't hurt her in her dreams._

_But he could when she woke up…_

_She heard a gigantic roar, like the boom of an earthquake, making the forest around her shudder. It took all of her restraint to keep looking at the floor._

_"Fine!" he snarled. Kathryn felt a small breeze, and when she looked up, the human version of Smaug was standing a few feet away from her. His arms crossed over his pale chest, his fiery eyes burning as he glared at her, his black hair casting a shadow around his eyes so that they seemed to glow from the darkness. _

_"Thank you," she smiled innocently._

_"What is the point of this?" Smaug snapped. _

_"I only wished to speak __**to**__ someone; not knowing where you were could have led me to speak with my back to you – a very poor show of manners," Kathryn tried not to smile and more, but it was difficult as she saw Smaug's jaw tighten as he tried to suppress a growl. _

_They were quiet for a time._

_"It's a beautiful night…" Kathryn began, trying to say anything to be rid of the heavy silence. _

_"This is your dream," Smaug muttered. "If you wanted it to rain or snow or be set in the clouds, it would be… if you had the sharpness of mind to, that is," _

_Kathryn felt her own jaw set at his attempts to insult her. _

_"What shall we do then?" Kathryn asked suddenly. _

_"Whatever you wish," Smaug sighed, his eyes dull from his apparently growing boredom. "Run, sing, count the stars, whatever it is you mortals do,"_

_"We could sing, I suppose…" Kathryn felt her curiosity piqued at the suggestion._

_"Go ahead then," _

_He stood there, watching her expectantly._

_"You won't sing with me?" she asked._

_"What?" Smaug snorted. "Absolutely not," _

_"I will go first if you're nervous…"_

_His eyes glowed brighter with malicious intent. Ignoring him, Kathryn turned away, facing the moon as it set over the mountains in the west; she breathed in the fresh air, closing her eyes as she felt almost every part of her fill with energy. And then, she decided to sing._

_"__**Nature, nurture heaven and home**__  
__**Sum of all, and by them, driven**__  
__**To conquer every mountain shown**__  
__**But I've never crossed the river**_

_**Braved the forests, braved the stone**__  
__**Braved the icy winds and fire**__  
__**Braved and beat them on my own**__  
__**Yet I'm helpless by the river**_

_**Angel, angel, what have I done?**__  
__**I've faced the quakes, the wind, the fire**__  
__**I've conquered country, crown, and throne**__  
__**Why can't I cross this river?**_

_**Pay no mind to the battles you've won**__  
__**It'll take a lot more than rage and muscle**__  
__**Open your heart and hands, my son**__  
__**Or you'll never make it over the river...**__"_

_As she stood there, eyes closed, simply taking in everything around her, feeling the world for a time. But then she heard something, like a breath or a sigh, so soft she questioned if it was real; but she felt it stir her hair like a small breeze. Turning to look – _

_Kathryn gasped as she was suddenly in a world of darkness. The meadow was gone, as was the moon, the mountains, the trees, everything. She was now seemingly floating in the black expanse of infinite space. With no substance of any kind, Kathryn felt her heart quiver with fear, she had not changed the dream, at least… not intentionally._

_And then she heard a noise, a voice, deep and breathy, but a growl to it like thunder. _

_"__**If ever thou gavest hosen or shoon… then every night and all…"**_

_It took Kathryn a moment to recognise the voice, and it was… singing? But there was no doubt, she could feel Smaug's presence as his voice surrounded her: she felt it whisper beside her ear, graze her throat as it slithered over her shoulders, the whispering wind from it breathing in and moving her hair with a heavy sigh. Kathryn went utterly still, her heart racing as she once again tried to look for him in vain, she couldn't see him, but he had surrounded her._

_"__**Sit them down and put them on… and Eru receive thy soul…**__**This ae night, this ae night… every night and all… Fire and fleet and candle-lighte… and Eru receive thy soul… If ever thou gavest meat or drink… then every night and all…"**_

_Kathryn felt a pressure building around her, like the coils of a snake slowly circling and squeezing her as something entwined with her body and soul. The power of the voice was enough to make her spine vibrate with tension, and she found herself almost paralysed as she couldn't move._

_And suddenly she was deathly afraid. She had never been able to change her dreams, she had struggled the one time she had – and with help. But Smaug had come and had changed the very fabric of this reality, a reality that was controlled by her mind, with the littlest effort. And now, she was at his mercy as she felt his power, his voice, his very being surround her; gliding across her skin, twisting around her waist. Panic began to build in her as she continued to fall under his spell as he continued to sing, his voice suddenly gaining a slightly sadistic edge as she heard it right beside her ear._

_"__**The fire shall make thee shrink…And Eru receive thy soul…**__"_

_There was a sound like the flapping of wings, and a heavy sigh; Kathryn suddenly felt a wind in her face, a sudden gust of power slamming into her._

_Kathryn cried out, all of the tension, all of the panic she had felt, it all came rushing out of her in a wave that pulsed through the space. It hit something, for there was a hiss of pain, and then a whirlwind of –_

Kathryn was jolted back into consciousness as she sat bolt upright from where she lay, breathing heavily as she awoke. Not far off, she heard Smaug hiss as he too came back to his waking state, and she looked over to see him shake himself as he looked around, searching, until his eyes locked onto her.

Kathryn felt something then, something boiling in her stomach that made her clench her jaw as she shrugged off her bindings and stood, pushing sweat damp hair from her face as she then marched towards the dragon. If she had been in a sane state of mind she would never have done such a thing, but the thing that boiled in her gut now would not heed her mind's frantic pleas, it only knew of her need to scream, to hit something, to... to… and then she realised that it was rage that consumed her!

"What in Valar's name did you do?!" she seethed as she came to stand before the massive creature.

Smaug just watched her, his eyes narrowing slightly with something she couldn't quite understand.

"Do you wish to drive me completely mad?!" she raged. "You come into my dreams just to terrorise me?!"

"That was nothing more than a practical joke," he snorted.

"A **_Joke_**?!" she almost screeched in fury. "So frightening me half to death and then almost ripping me apart with magic is your idea of a _practical joke_?!"

"That was not my doing…" he trailed off as he watched her, again with that look in his eyes that Kathryn couldn't quite place.

"No, you intentionally held me and tried to scare me! You cannot do that to me and then lie to me as soon as –"

"ENOUGH!" Smaug roared furiously. Kathryn felt every bone in her body shake from the force of his voice, causing her rage and sudden nerve to disappear as quickly as it had come, leaving her feeling… slightly abandoned in front of the furious dragon before her. "Do not overstep your bounds, human! Do not presume anything of me and **_NEVER_** call me a **_liar_**!"

Kathryn stood frozen as the echoes of his roar rebounded around the cavernous walls, surrounding her with a thousand furious dragons, though only one had his golden eyes fixed upon her, glowing as if with fire. They stood there in silence, watching each other warily as they waited for something to break the tense atmosphere between them.

"If not you…" Kathryn said softly, hesitantly, as she dared to look back into those dragon eyes. She did not fall under the dragon-spell, something she had been very much aware of since the vision and their joining of minds, it seemed as if the hypnosis that would normally overcome her was… broken? "If not you, then where did that magic come from?"

Smaug paused slightly before replying, watching her with a critical eye, as if assessing if she could handle the answer.

"Yourself," he said finally.

Kathryn was taken so completely by surprise that she snorted and shook her head; she hadn't meant to, but the absurdity of what he had just claimed completely baffled her.

"You doubt me?" the dragon warned in an icy tone.

"I have never used magic before, it could not have been me," she told him.

"You used raw magic, that is different from other… regular magic," the dragon said, trying to find the right words for his explanation.

"I don't understand…" Kathryn frowned. The dragon sighed in exasperation as he tried to think of a way to explain his meaning.

"View Magic as energy," he began. "Like life in your body, like lightning in a tempest, it is a force of nature, the very fabric of the world around us. When a wizard or a conjurer uses magic, he is tapping into that force, merely reaching out in order to grasp it. But grasping and using are not the same…" he gave her a look to see if she was following.

Kathryn nodded to signify that she understood.

"Somewhere between grasping that force and it becoming real through the wizard's staff, the magic becomes diluted, more focused, going only in the direction that the wielder aims it. Raw magic is not plucked and not channelled, it is fresh, wild, and completely erratic. It cannot be controlled or directed, merely released. Think of it as air: when a human blows air from his lungs he can control its direction, and that is regular magic; but with raw magic… have you ever seen a mortal man control the gale force winds?" The dragon's eyes were alight with imagining the picture he was creating.

"But how did I manage to use it?" Kathryn asked.

"You are a seer,"

"Of which, I am very much aware. But I don't know how that means I have magic…"

"Uh, your ignorance continues to surprise me," Smaug groaned to himself. "There are few creatures born of magic; not magical creatures, but beings where magic is a part of them, in their blood and flesh and soul. Dragons have always been so since the dawn of time and our existence, and the most powerful of all," he added smugly. "The Elfish-folk of old once were the same, though the blood is diluted in the generations of this age. I even know that the Witch-King of Angmar was made powerful by his use of Raw Magic, the same with the Creator of the One-Ring. But other than this, **_Seers_** were the only others. It is what gives you the ability to see into all realities of past, present and future. Why else do you think the visions are so unpredictable if you do not induce them with the right information? As I said before, it is wild and erratic. I told you that to fight it was the gravest mistake: you would be the mortal man trying to control the hurricane."

"And now?" Kathryn tried to ignore how hoarse her voice sounded.

"Now… You used raw magic in an attempt to protect yourself with your mind when your body could not."

"But I have been in situations before, and not once did that happen. It could all have been a part of the dream,"

"That maybe so," the Dragon thought. "But now that you have used it, it may have been the weight to tip the scales, the final crack in the glass… until it all comes spilling out."

"No," Kathryn whispered to herself, tearing her gaze away from those burning eyes in an attempt to get her racing heart under control. Uncontrollable magic… if it was as unstable as her visions, then was she doomed to not be able to even live or function in normal society? She had never thought of life outside of this mountain ever since the start of her imprisonment, but now that she had to bring this into consideration… truly there was no hope for her. She would be walking down a street when all of a sudden she could lapse into a vision or at the slightest emotional stress she could snap a wooden beam in two with a magical pulse. She would cause destruction, and she would be hated more than before. Tears stung her eyes as she bit her lip against the anger burning away at her soul. She hated it, she hated this curse, hated the world, hated the irony of this; she was condemned, and had done nothing… "No!" she fell to her knees as a single tear spilled over her cheek.

Suddenly, with the storm of her roiling emotions, Kathryn felt something fill her: it was as if the sun's rays were locked within her body, leaving her too much energy to contain. It became so much, it burned and pained her; she cried out, and with the sound, the energy left her as something rippled out like a shock-wave from her body. The pulse didn't go far, but Kathryn saw it physically push heaps of gold around her in a small radius.

Smaug was silent but his eyes watched her in astonishment.

Kathryn looked up, seeing what she had caused. It frightened her, but at the same time, she felt a little freed. That pulse had only come when her emotions were at their most turbulent, meaning that if she controlled herself… she may be able to find a way to handle it. It wasn't perfect, but then, what in her life was?

Kathryn noticed that she had knocked over a pile of scrolls and a chest of books from her little outburst, and went over to pick it up. She sighed at how utterly tired she felt, as if she hadn't slept in days. She quickly put things back to how they were, knowing how Smaug liked everything to be just as he left it. But then she paused when her fingers graced across the leather cover of a book she recognised. It wasn't so much the book itself as it was the language: strangely it wasn't in Ancient Dwarvish or Elfish, instead it was in the common tongue.

Thoroughly intrigued, Kathryn sat against a column and opened the book. It was a collection of poems, songs and stories from all the races of Middle-Earth, and Kathryn found herself beaming as she flipped through several pages until she landed on one that sounded faintly familiar as she went through the words in her head.

"What are you doing?" Smaug asked suspiciously as he watched the woman smile warmly as she gazed at the pages of the book in her hands. For some reason it irked him that she would smile at a book she had only just picked up, rather then…

He suddenly didn't want to finish that thought.

The human woman looked up at him, but instead of answering she turned back to the book. Smaug would have snarled and demanded that she answer him, but was stopped when he heard her voice: soft, melodious, though not singing. She sighed on her words, and allowed a certain wisdom to enter her voice as she spoke… as she read aloud to him. He was brought to astounded silence in wonder of her.

_"The leaves were long, the grass was green,  
The hemlock-umbels tall and fair,  
And in the glade a light was seen  
Of stars in shadow shimmering.  
Tinúviel was dancing there  
To music of a pipe unseen,  
And light of stars was in her hair,  
And in her raiment glimmering._

There Beren came from mountains cold,  
And lost he wandered under leaves,  
And where the Elven-river rolled  
He walked alone and sorrowing.  
He peered between the hemlock-leaves  
And saw in wonder flowers of gold  
Upon her mantle and her sleeves,  
And her hair like shadow following.

Enchantment healed his weary feet  
That over hills were doomed to roam;  
And forth he hastened, strong and fleet,  
And grasped at moonbeams glistening.  
Through woven woods in Elvenhome  
She lightly fled on dancing feet,  
And left him lonely still to roam  
In the silent forest listening.

He heard there oft the flying sound  
Of feet as light as linden-leaves,  
Or music welling underground,  
In hidden hollows quavering.  
Now withered lay the hemlock-sheaves,  
And one by one with sighing sound  
Whispering fell the beachen leaves  
In the wintry woodland wavering.

He sought her ever, wandering far  
Where leaves of years were thickly strewn,  
By light of moon and ray of star  
In frosty heavens shivering.  
Her mantle glinted in the moon,  
As on a hill-top high and far  
She danced, and at her feet was strewn  
A mist of silver quivering.

When winter passed, she came again,  
And her song released the sudden spring,  
Like rising lark, and falling rain,  
And melting water bubbling.  
He saw the elven-flowers spring  
About her feet, and healed again  
He longed by her to dance and sing  
Upon the grass untroubling.

Again she fled, but swift he came.  
Tinúviel! Tinúviel!  
He called her by her elvish name;  
And there she halted listening.  
One moment stood she, and a spell  
His voice laid on her: Beren came,  
And doom fell on Tinúviel  
That in his arms lay glistening.

As Beren looked into her eyes  
Within the shadows of her hair,  
The trembling starlight of the skies  
He saw there mirrored shimmering.  
Tinúviel the elven-fair,  
Immortal maiden elven-wise,  
About him cast her shadowy hair  
And arms like silver glimmering.

Long was the way that fate them bore,  
O'er stony mountains cold and grey,  
Through halls of ireon and darkling door,  
And woods of nightshade morrowless.  
The Sundering Seas between them lay,  
And yet at last they met once more,  
And long ago they passed away  
In the forest singing sorrowless."

When she finished, she gently closed the cover, and held the book against her chest. They were left in silence for a moment, as Smaug allowed himself to remember every word, but not so much for the poem, more so for the voice that spoke the words…

"It… was not my intention to frighten you," he said slowly, snorting to clear his nostrils of soot. "It will not happen again,"

Kathryn was left confused as she watched the dragon, but slowly realisation came to her. It wasn't an apology, Smaug would kill everything in this world before he apologised for anything, but it was… an acceptance of a misunderstanding and a promise to avoid the same mistake in the future. Kathryn fought down the smile at his words.

"It is still late," Kathryn said at last, stiffly climbing to her feet. "Good night," she murmured as she walked back towards her sleeping place, picking up the rags to retie them around her –

"What are you doing?" Smaug asked sharply.

Kathryn turned to look at him, eyes wide with shock and confusion.

"I… I am merely doing what I do every night," she said simply, not knowing what else to say. "I must bind myself encase –"

The dragon snorted derisively, smoke billowing over the gold between them as his eyes glowed.

"You do not need such humiliating precautions," he snapped. "I am with you in the dreams, am I not? And I am here in the real world. Do you doubt that I would not protect you?" he challenged.

Kathryn blinked in surprise, standing there dumbfounded at his words.

She couldn't help her lips twitching to try and form a grin.

"No," she said softly, unable to stop the small smile. "I do not,"

Smaug snorted again, before laying his head back down and closing his eyes as he waited for her in sleep.

Kathryn laid down, and for the first time in a very long time, she was happy to fall asleep and excited for dreams to come.

* * *

**A/N: Hope you liked the chapter! Review to tell me what you thought of it! Also wanted to say sorry about the whole "Raw-magic" thing. I know I said I wouldn't hack at Tolkien's law, and I'm not doing that, this will only effect Kathryn in this story, and I only put that in as part of my own universe not Tolkiens, so BIG APOLOGIES! **

**Just a reminder about the poll on my page for the decision about a sequel to this. And if I don't get another chance to post before the movie comes out next weekend (OH MY GOD! AH! 8D !) I just want to say that there has been speculation about what Smaug is going to look like in the film: does he have four legs or two, being the main one in my mind. So I just want to say that even if in the movie he has two legs instead of four (I will love him either way), my vision of Smaug in this story, he has four legs, the front two having "hands" as such. Thanks for reading! See you soon! :) x**


	9. Chapter 9 - What We Are

**Author's Note: 100+ followers and almost 100 reviews! OH MY GOSH! :D I know that to some big time authors on this site, that shouldn't be much, but to a new girl like me, I'm going to whoop for joy at every little victory! YEE-HA! **

**Okay now, *although still grinning like an idiot* on with the next chapter! Oh, but quick word of warning, darker side of Smaug this chapter... If it wasn't already... you know what I mean!**

**And P.S. forgot to mention this in last chapter's "A/N", but extra brownie points for anyone who can guess who was the figure in the beginning of the little "vision" in the last chapter ;)**

* * *

Chapter 9 – What We Are

"I have many feathers to help me fly. I have a body and head, but I'm not alive. It is your strength which determines how far I go. You can hold me in your hand, but I'm never thrown. What am I? – An Arrow"

* * *

Kathryn sat in the gigantic chamber, a beautiful, plush, red velvet cushion softening her seat as she was perched atop one of the mounds of gold. She found that treasure was not very good for sitting on, especially for long periods of time, she only managed to sleep comfortably because she had used whatever soft items were around, including tapestries, clothes and other such things.

She sat there, polishing a cup. That day she had found herself extremely bored as all of her usual work did not seem to capture her attention today. But then, she had found a small cup, solid gold, the rim engraved in ancient Dwarvish, with rubies, emeralds, diamonds and sapphires inlaid on it to depict a beautiful mosaic picture of a crown resting atop a hammer and anvil. Kathryn frowned, looking up towards the many halls above her and seeing the same insignia.

The Durin Emblem. Finding a rag amongst her old bindings that she used to sleep in but hadn't been using for the past couple of days, Kathryn made herself a seat amongst the gold, and began to polish the old, dusty cup. She knew how much Smaug liked his treasure to look its best, shinning with its beauty, and she hoped that this would please him.

She snorted, her lips twitching into a lopsided grin as she shook her head at herself. If someone had told her four months ago that she would be here, now, hoping to appease her dragon jailer not for survival but… just to please him?

She stopped as she thought to herself; had it really already been four months? Four months of her life in this Mountain, four months of no human contact (she refused to count the "incident" with the mercenaries). She tried to banish such thoughts by returning to her work, humming a soft tune to try and distract herself.

Not long after, she heard the gigantic beating of leathery wings as Smaug returned from his hunt, the ground trembling slightly, even this far away, as he landed. Kathryn looked up as the dragon entered the chamber, the carcass of a buck hanging from his jaws. He looked around the room until his eyes spotted her and fixed on her as he came forward. As he reached her, she noticed him looking from the cup and rag in her hands to her face, his eyes seeming slightly surprised but approving. He said nothing though as he placed the body in front of her. Kathryn simply nodded her thanks, quickly getting up to go to her sleeping place, retrieving a knife and bowl as she came back, quickly slicing off the meat she wanted and putting it into the bowl. As always, from being inside Smaug's mouth with his hot breath alone, the meat was cooked to an edible degree, mixing it with a few onion and carrot slices that she had saved from the last time Smaug had brought her other food, it was enough. When she was finished preparing her own meal, Smaug quickly snapped up the carcass and swallowed it whole, crunching loudly and gulping it down his gullet.

He yawned, though Kathryn honestly didn't know why he should be tired, he hardly did anything other than hunt, it wasn't as if he was out patrolling or battling enemies every other hour. Smaug shook his head as he began to lay down, and Kathryn almost squeaked in surprise as his gigantic head came falling towards her. But before she could move out of his way, it settled softly on the gold right next to her.

Kathryn stared in amazement at those huge jaws that were only two feet from her, so at ease with being so close – he chose to come and lay next to her whilst she finished her meal rather than go off and fall asleep in peace. His eyes were already closed as if he were going to sleep, she was almost thankful he couldn't catch her watching him…

"Am I wrong in assuming that staring is rude amongst humans?" Smaug snapped though his eyes never opened. Kathryn squeaked, her cheeks blushing a furious crimson.

"You constantly stare and glare at me," she shot back once she recovered.

"I do not stare, I _observe_," Smaug growled.

"If that is what you wish to believe," Kathryn muttered to herself, though as she returned to her meal, she couldn't stop her lips from twitching into a smile.

But Smaug saw it, peeking out from under his eyelids at her, he saw the secret smile and felt oddly proud of himself. He considered the oddity of the conversation: had she retorted back to him before, he would have been enraged at her gall, but over the past few weeks, he didn't seem to mind, he almost found these little verbal spats amusing to a certain degree. And Kathryn herself was a natural combatant, though he knew she wouldn't have dared before; it was as if she had lost most of her fear of him.

And for some reason that both pleased him and irked him. The conflicting and confusing emotions were enough to put him in the start of a foul mood. So he tried to doze, waiting as Kathryn finished her meal and then retrieved a book from her sleeping place, coming back to her spot beside him as she began to read quietly to herself. So their evenings had become thus: they would eat, simply be at peace in each other's company until they were ready for sleep, before which Kathryn would sing to him as he commanded, and then they would dream together in slumber.

But tonight was different, the human woman seemed much more restless, constantly shuffling in her place as she read, or flicking her hair.

After an hour of this, she finally spoke up.

"Smaug," she said softly, he gave no indication that he had heard other than to peek out from underneath one eyelid at her. She turned to look at him, her purple eyes bright in the gloom as somewhere outside the sun had already set. "I wish to go to Lake-Town,"

Smaug was seized by such shock and outrage that his eyes snapped wide open as he stared at her with blade thin pupils. His one moment of speechless rage was her only chance to explain, so she quickly carried on.

"Please, it would only be for a day! I would leave in the morning and be back by evening, I swear it!" she begged of him. Smaug growled loudly, clamping his jaws together tightly so that he could restrain himself from roaring in fury.

It took him a few minutes to achieve some semblance of control before he could finally speak.

"_No_," He ground out between his clenched teeth.

"Please Smaug," she asked, standing, clasping her hands and her eyes begging him. "I have not spoken to another human for four months, I only wish contact, nothing more, to be with people for a day, that's it, and then I will come back. I give you my word!"

"You gave me your word that you would not leave!" He snarled, rearing his head up so that he glared down at the human before him, his lips quivering to bare his teeth.

"Yes, I know!" she stressed, her eyes going wide with fear… but not of him, more of his refusal. And that only made him all the angrier. "And I will come back in order to keep my word. If it makes you feel any better about the situation then you may follow me, watch me, make sure I come back,"

"And what?" he sneered. "You would go to the humans, pretend to be one of them, be welcomed with open arms?! You have even told me that you wished to avoid them for most of your life. Why the change of heart _now_?"

"I am human! If for nothing more than to simply have a normal conversation, to remember what it is like to be human myself! What has you so out of sorts, Smaug? You could even follow me to make sure that I return, so why refuse me?"

"I will not have what is mine left bare for others to steal!" she frowned at his words, so he quickly carried on to press forward his refusal. "And you may tell them of me! Is this your chance to be rid of your monstrous captor?! To help them slay the beast?!" he snarled, smoke curling from his nostrils, as if daring her to confirm his suspicions.

"No!" she seemed horrified by the thought, and he growled at her menacingly. "I think we both know that it would be stupid of me to say anything, and my input would not put them any closer to killing you," she added dryly. "A day Smaug: that is all I ask! One day!"

"You are not one of them! You belong to me!" he bellowed, his voice shaking the roof of the cavern. He then dropped his head low, coming close to her as he locked his gaze with hers, making sure that by the intensity of his stare alone she could look at nothing but his eyes. "Look at yourself in a mirror: look at your eyes and tell me that you are a normal human with a hope of being welcomed by them… wouldn't that be a rather nice change from the way they have treated you before,"

She physically flinched at his words as if he had struck her a blow. She stood there open mouthed, staring at him in horror and grief. He could almost see the cogs turning in her head as she thought of every encounter she had had amongst humans and other mortal races alike, his words causing her to doubt herself and break her conviction, as was the way with dragon-talk. She turned from him, a shivery breath escaping her as her eyes filled with tears, her face betraying her hurt at his low blow. She had told him of her past in confidence, knowing that he might as well know if he was to be her only company; and now he had betrayed that one trust by throwing it into her face to shatter her one request.

Something stirred in his gut, a bad twist on his innards that made him want to growl at himself for her tears. And he realised that it was guilt that he felt. But he would happily do it again if that was what it took to keep her, and his anger returned full force: she would not manipulate him, he, who had slain a thousand foes with no pity or mercy, he, the most feared creature in all of Arda!

"There is nowhere to go," he growled, drawing out the words and watched as she shrank away and flinched as if he were pulling at her insides with each syllable. "You have nowhere left, this mountain and I are all that you have, and without it: You. Are. _NOTHING!_"

A single tear streaked down her face, her lip trembling at his words.

"I thought…" she whispered on a breathy shake, her body shivering in an attempt to hold in her emotions. Her voice was so quiet, if it wasn't for his brilliant senses, Smaug thought he might not have heard it otherwise. "I thought… you cared,"

Smaug exploded in furious rage, roaring so loud that the human collapsed to the floor when her knees buckled, her hands covering her ears in an effort to escape the terrible sound. Smaug smashed his tail into a column, cracks appearing in the stonework from the force of the blow. He turned his head away and released a stream of fire from his maw blackening the walls of the chamber, the fire so hot at its centre from his anger that it practically almost melted the rock of the wall.

When he heard a small whimper, he cut the fire short, and spun around to face her, claws slashing at the air in a terrible blind rage. He came to stand over her, looming above her body as she lay cowering beneath him. He wanted to scoop her up in his talons, squeeze her until her bones cracked, tear at her with his teeth, show her that she was oh so very wrong!

But even in his rage he could not bring himself to… he couldn't…

He roared again in frustration, completely seething at the fact that he was brought low by the fact that he couldn't, or rather wouldn't, touch her in that way.

But he was not her pet, and he would make sure she knew that!

Directing one last snarl in her direction, he stomped away out of the chamber and exited the mountain. He unfurled his wings as he sprang into the air, soaring away on furious winds; leaving the broken figure shaking where she lay.

* * *

_**Several Hours Later...**_

Kathryn pulled her blankets tighter around her, curling into a ball as she tried to huddle for warmth. But it wasn't cold in the chamber, no she fought off a cold in her heart. She sniffed and rubbed her face as she took a deep breath in order to steady herself, trying to regain some of her composure.

She shook her head bitterly at herself, furious over the fact that still, hours and hours since Smaug had left the Mountain, she was still crying like a child. She should have known better then to open her mouth and ask such a stupid request, of course Smaug would never let her go to Lake-Town, what had she been thinking?! But the temptation… to speak with people again, if only for one day, to be amongst them and to forget… And she had thought that her reasoning was sound enough to Smaug; he did trust her, didn't he? His own counter reasoning, that she would betray him, or that someone would steal her away, this sudden paranoia in him was most unsettling, especially if it would continue to lead to further fits of rage that she had seen earlier that evening. The way he had almost lost control of himself… Kathryn shivered. That had been the first time since they had sworn the truce between them that she had been **_truly_** scared of Smaug hurting her. She had thought they were past that.

But of course not, and she should have known: Smaug's rage was famous both for its ferocity and for its spontaneous ignition. It was said that no one was safe around Smaug, and sooner or later he would decide that this little game they had was no longer entertaining.

_Fool me once, fool me twice_… Kathryn thought to herself with an exhausted sigh.

But then, from beyond the mountain, Kathryn heard the trumpeting call of a gigantic beast, one that she knew well. A moment later she heard the wing beats, and the boom of his footsteps as he padded through the fortress and down into the lower chamber.

Suddenly feeling a sense of utter dread fall over her, afraid for an unknown reason, Kathryn got up from her sleeping place and quietly hid in the shadow of one of the gigantic columns, her eyes wide to try and peer through the gloom of the night.

Smaug entered the chamber, the glow of him seeming to give a small piece of illumination to the room. He scanned the room, his eyes searching the treasures, hovering briefly on her sleeping place before scanning ahead as he saw that she was not there. Kathryn saw that his jaw was ever so slightly ajar, and narrowed her eyes as she tried to focus on the details… but before she could see, he dropped it, where it fell to the earth with a loud "CLANK".

"Where are you, my little Songbird?" Kathryn shivered in revulsion at the dragon's words, the way he said the pet-name with equal parts malice and scorn. He hadn't called her that since the beginning, and the resurfacing of it was enough warning for her. Not really voicing her presence, she merely stepped out from the shadows, but the clink of the gold beneath her feet was enough for Smaug to spin his head back around and see her.

He smiled viciously as he bared his teeth, his eyes glinting with dark intent.

Kathryn merely watched him with her head lowered, silent as she folded her arms protectively against her chest.

"There you are," he murmured. "I have a surprise…" with a flick of his talon, he sent the object hurtling towards Kathryn, where it fell in a heap at her feet. She looked from the thing to Smaug, her heart hammering at an odd rhythm as her stomach fluttered with nerves. Her curiosity was piqued, but the way Smaug said the words… she almost didn't want to know.

But as if with Smaug she had any choice.

Hesitantly placing her hands upon cold metal, Kathryn heaved the dead weight and rolled it over so that she could see what it was clearly. When she saw it, she gasped in horror and amazement.

A man lay before her, his face had a soft complexion and structure but the worn look on his face said that he was perhaps in his third decade. He had deep brown hair with the scraggly beginnings of a beard covering his jaw. He was dressed in travelling clothes that were in surprisingly good condition, with light armour protecting his chest, shoulders, shins and wrists. An elegant black ebony bow was strapped to his back, delicate golden carvings in the sides. The man was alive, Kathryn saw he was breathing as she looked at his softly moving chest… where she noticed the emblem of Dol Amroth: the silver swan and the white tree…

A Knight of Gondor…

Kathryn looked up at Smaug, her heart suddenly hammering as she saw his smirking face.

"Why have you brought a man here?" Kathryn asked him, only to see Smaug's eyes brighten as his smirk turned into a grin.

"I caught him twenty miles from the mountain… he is trespassing, and I do not allow trespassers to go unpunished," Smaug reached forward and plucked the human into his grasp.

"Wait!" Kathryn exclaimed, earning a warning growl from the dragon. "Why bring him here? Why not kill him where you found him?"

"It did not serve my purpose," he sneered.

"And what is your purpose?!" Kathryn demanded, her chest felt hollow as she already understood the horrifying reality. "To kill him in front of me? To frighten me or make me hate you? Why?!"

"I am a Dragon!" he snarled. "It is what I am: the strongest, the mightiest, the smartest, the greatest of all in all Arda! I bow to no one!" His eyes burned as he seethed at her.

"And I am human! I cannot watch you kill one of my own in cold blood," Kathryn begged, coming forward as she tried to reason with the angered beast. "Please Smaug… _please,_ I beg you, don't do this!"

The dragon huffed, sending his foul breath cascading over her, but otherwise ignored what she said, leisurely lifting the still unconscious man up towards his mouth.

"NO!" Kathryn said quickly, her heart racing when Smaug fixed his blazing eyes onto her, his patience wearing thin. "You will regret it if you do this!"

"And, pray tell, how I could regret killing such an insignificant creature?" he growled.

"Because…" Kathryn had to force herself to gulp in order to work past the lump in her throat. "Because if you kill him, then more will come for him. The insignia on his chest proves that he is a Knight, and should he disappear then more will come for him," Kathryn didn't know if any would, but she hoped the white lie was enough to at least make Smaug pause.

"And is that supposed to frighten me?" he glared at her.

"No, it is a proposition," Kathryn managed to say shakily. Smaug blinked, the only sign for her to continue. "Spare his life, make him walk out of here… let him… let him tell all those he comes across that Smaug the Stupendous allowed him to live."

"And let the rest of the world think me **_WEAK_**?!" He roared.

"No!" Kathryn said quickly. "Just… Imagine him leaving with his tail tucked between his legs, telling everyone he comes across that the dragon's mercy allowed him to live so that others might never repeat his grievous mistake. He would tell stories of you… it would make the people remember your wrath with fear and awe of you,"

Kathryn waited on baited breath as she watched Smaug absorb her words. Her play on his vanity and ego had been a spur of the moment thing, and she hoped it would be enough to convince him. Finally, Smaug looked at her as his eyes narrowed in suspicion; Kathryn felt her heart shudder with fear but otherwise held her ground as she stared back at him with as much calm as she could muster.

"Very well," Smaug growled out finally, carelessly dropping the man to the ground with another loud "CLANK".

"Thank you," Kathryn whispered, sending up a silent thanks to the Valar and whatever other gods were looking down on her. She slowly bent forward to try and grab the knight –

Smaug hissed, flashing his teeth in warning, and Kathryn froze as she looked up at him uncertainly.

"I'm only going to take him to the entrance and tell him of your… _decision_," she said softly.

"You will not," Smaug growled, and before Kathryn could react, he snatched her up in his claws and carried her back through to the other side of the chamber.

"Smaug!" she cried out, squirming in and attempt to at least pry her arms free so that she might wriggle out. But Smaug merely twitched his fingers to tighten his grip on her. He ignored her pitiful cries of protest, instead, depositing her at the back of the chamber. "You must let me tend to him –"

"No," the dragon cut her off icily.

"Then at least to explain –"

"No!" he hissed more forcefully.

"Then would you rather him think you negligent enough to leave him alive? He might come further in, he could try to hurt you, he might… he might try to take me!" Kathryn hated referencing herself as if she were a mere object, but if it was the only way to get him to listen then she had to go along with it.

"I'd like to see him try," Smaug's eyes lit up with malicious intent, his long teeth showing in a predatory grin at the thought of the challenge.

Suddenly, they both heard a loud groan from the other end of the huge chamber, and Smaug snapped his head around to face the noise. Kathryn too looked in the general direction but the mountains of gold and treasure blocked her view. Smaug turned away from her, and Kathryn watched with dread as the enormous creature seemed to disappear as he melted into the shadows, his heavy footfalls suddenly falling silent as he began to stalk his prey. He paid no attention to Kathryn, as if he expected her to do as she was told.

When she was sure Smaug was gone and his attention was elsewhere, Kathryn slowly walked off in the opposite direction, following the edges of the chamber, trying to be as quiet but as quick as she could, working her way around the hall.

"Sweet Nienna of the Valar, Lady of Mercy…" came a mumbled voice that Kathryn knew to be the knight. He had awoken then, as she had suspected. Kathryn quickened her pace in an attempt to reach him. "Where am I?" he asked.

"Such a pathetic mortal you are…" Smaug's voice floated from the shadows, smooth as silk but growling with menace as his words seemed to come from everywhere all at once, his body unseen. "Do you doubt your senses?" he hissed. "The reason you are still alive is that I offer you one chance… leave. Go back to your little stone walls in the south, and tell your people that I have spared you for this warning: should **_ANY_** man, knight or pauper, come near my treasure again… then I shall retaliate with fire and death upon all of Gondor, the likes of which it has never seen!"

"Beast!" Kathryn heard the knight exclaim. "You hunt in the shadows, and rain curses upon my home and countrymen! By my might and honour as a Knight of Gondor, I swear I shall end you, foul creature!" Kathryn was gaping at the man's bravery, or foolishness, or stupidity – perhaps all.

"You?!" Smaug scoffed and then boomed his thunderous laughter that shook the cavern, making even the gold around the room rattle. "You, slay me? HA! I am Smaug the Terrible! Smaug the Magnificent! I laid low the warriors of old, and none of their like is in the world today!"

Kathryn managed to get into the shadow of a column as she peeked from the darkness onto the scene, where she could see the knight looking about wildly for his opponent.

"Then prove your worth! Face me in honourable combat, and we shall see who is destined to win this day!" the Knight called out as he slowly reached behind him for the black bow still strapped to his back. "Why hide in the darkness? Face me, coward!"

Smaug's laugh held no humour, only a sadistic hunger that made the hair's on the back of Kathryn's neck stand on edge.

"As you wish," he hissed and lunged.

Kathryn was almost horror struck and in complete awe at how fast Smaug moved. For a creature of his size she would never have thought him capable of such speed! He was literally a blur of red and gold scales that lunged with neck coiled like a snake, surging forward with jaws wide open to strike as he snarled.

That was the only warning the Knight was given, and if not for it he might have died then. Upon hearing the ferocious beast, Kathryn was just able to see him dive out of the way, but barely, as Smaug came crashing down, snapping at the space where the knight had been. As his body hit the ground, a great tremor shook the mountain, and Kathryn nearly toppled over. Smaug quickly recovered, chuckling darkly as if it had been his intention to miss, and pushed himself back into the shadows to prepare for another attack.

Kathryn knew she wouldn't get another chance. And so quickly raced out of her hiding spot and grabbed the arm of the knight, hauling him back onto his feet and almost dragging him as he stumbled towards the stairs and out to the entrance of the fortress.

They raced to the front gates of the fortress, where they stopped, heaving and panting from the sudden exertion. Kathryn dropped the arm of the knight who stood there, chest heaving, staring at her in awestruck wonder.

"My Lady," he murmured, still staring and Kathryn tried to ignore him. "I must thank you for your help, surely the Valar must have sent you to aid me,"

"I wouldn't say that..." Kathryn mumbled under her breath as she looked back into the fortress, knowing she was running out of time. She turned back to the knight, and came close to him as she spoke urgently. "Listen to me: you must leave! Go! As the dragon has ordered you! Don't come back and don't allow anyone to come near."

"But this is my quest," the knight protested. "I had heard of the terrible atrocities that this foul beast has placed upon the people, both men and other folk. As a knight, it is my sworn duty to liberate them! My Order knew it to be suicide, and should I die here then my sacrifice shall be remembered, but none are coming. This is my quest, and mine alone."

"Yes, that is very noble," Kathryn said quickly. "But he will kill you if he finds you!"

"But I can kill him,"

"No, you can't; his scales are impenetrable! And spells do not work!"

"I have this," and the knight pulled out the black bow, the delicate golden inscription carved into the side of the woodwork glinting as the night sky began to lighten as dawn soon approached. Kathryn thought she felt something deep within her hum from the thrill of magic in the air as she stared at the bow.

"What is that?" she asked in a shaky breath.

"It is the Eluvienel Bow," the knight said reverently. "The wood is carved from an ancient tree from Gondor, the arrow heads are forged by master dwarves and the bow itself has been enchanted by the High Elves of the West. So long as your aim is true, once fired, this bow will never miss its target,"

"The arrows will simply bounce off his scales,"

"But I'm betting his eyeballs are not as tough," the knight smirked.

"What…" Kathryn felt her throat suddenly constrict and found it harder to breath as she processed what she had just heard.

Suddenly, there was a gigantic roar from inside the mountain, one of anger, hatred and… anxiety? Kathryn knew Smaug must have realised that she and the Knight were gone, their time was almost up.

"Please!" she begged. "You have to leave! Now! Do not die foolishly, please!" the Knight looked between her and the fortress as the stomping of the dragon could be heard as it crashed through the fortress towards them.

"Very well, but you must come with me," the Knight said, grabbing her arm as he attempted to turn her away with him towards the desolate landscape beyond.

"What?!" Kathryn squawked in surprise.

"I shall not leave you to the wrath of the dragon. Don't worry, I can save you,"

"I don't need – "

Another loud crash and a roar came from the Mountain interior, and Kathryn felt her heart skip several beats as she heard the wrath of her captor baying for blood.

"It is too late now," the Knight whispered to himself as he held the bow and knocked a black arrow and waited as his dark eyes watched the entrance. His posture never wavered, his stance never faltered as he awaited certain death to come. "For the Glory of Gondor…"

Smaug burst through the front gate, roaring so loud he might split the sky with his wrath. He bared his teeth and reared onto his hind legs to spread his wings, and the enormity of him was revealed, his claws lashing at the air as he roared at the mortal man still standing before him. The knight readied his arm, aiming for the dragon's head as he pulled his arm back –

"No! Please! Don't –" Kathryn rushed forward, her heart hammering with fear – though for what (or whom) she did not know. She tried to grip the man's arm to unbalance his aim – inadvertently stopping both his attack and Smaug's, who could not strike with her so close to his prey. But the knight merely held the arrow against the bow with one hand, and used the other to push her aside.

Kathryn yelped as she was thrown to the hard stone floor, cutting herself on the rocks in the process. Smaug's eyes widened with concern and outrage, before he quickly turned back to the Knight with the full bore of his fury: eyes wide and burning in their sockets as he glared at the human.

And then, the sun broke over the horizon, directly behind the Knight. Smaug hissed as his vision was suddenly blinded by light, and he ducked away. The distraction was what the Knight had been waiting for, and all that he needed.

Watching in horror as everything threatened to come apart around her, Kathryn saw the Knight pull back his arm, aiming for Smaug's right eye as he tried to shake off his blindness and came hurtling forwards in a powerful, snake-like strike. Kathryn saw the Knight's finger twitch as he prepared to let loose the arrow –

"NO!" Kathryn screamed –

Suddenly, as her turmoil of emotions peaked into a raging storm inside her, Kathryn felt something fill her, leaking from a secret place in her soul as it quickly filled up her body, leaving her with the feeling as if she might burst like dam. She felt the pressure build behind her eyes, and without knowing what she was doing, Kathryn screamed and snapped her hand out as if she were going to reach for the –

A shock-wave passed through her body, travelling down her arm and shooting from her hand. The pulse raced across the space between her and the Knight and hit him full force in the side of the chest. He screamed as he was suddenly sent flying into the air, and then hit the stone of one of the gigantic statues on either side of the entrance. There was a sickening "CRACK", and then the man slid to the floor, already dead.

Kathryn sagged to the floor, feeling utterly drained of all energy, her mind suddenly numb as she realised that she had just killed a man... _I have just killed someone... and for what? To save a dragon..._

Her eyes fluttered closed and she fought to keep them open as she almost collapsed on the floor. She then felt a warm, putrid breath wash over her as she heard something sniff her. She opened her eyes to find Smaug standing over her, his face hovering a mere foot above her body. She blinked at him stupidly; he snorted at her again, as if demanding a response from her; and she saw the concern that filled his eyes… for her? She felt oddly touched…

And then saw that his eyes were fixated on the cut that was on her right shoulder and down her arm that had now started to bleed through onto her clothes. She blushed, quickly covering it with her other hand.

"It's just a scratch," she mumbled. Smaug snorted, his eyes still worried, though he now allowed the anger to filter in.

"You disobeyed me," he growled.

"Yes… I did…" she panted, stiffly climbing to her feet.

"And for nothing! I should have killed him when I had the chance!" he snarled.

"Perhaps," Kathryn said breathlessly, her mind still numb from shock at what she had done. "But it would have turned out the same, it is as you said: you are a dragon, and I am a human, these things are in our nature. We are what we are,"

And then, to Smaug's utter astonishment, the human woman simply walked past him back into the interior of the Mountain. He watched her go, and couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of pride. She had killed to protect him – even though he personally believed that to be an insult, as he needed no help from a _human_ – and she killed her own kind in order to stay with him. And even when she disobeyed him, when she angered him to the point of uncontrollable rage, his first thought was of her safety. His eyes narrowed as he considered everything that had happened that night, consenting that perhaps he was wrong…

Maybe things were already too far gone then he thought…

* * *

A few days later, Smaug swooped low as he returned from the hunt. He had caught two cattle that day from a far off farmer's land, he had swallowed them hole before grabbing a third to take back with him to the mountain. He had not gorged in several weeks, the daily meals were enough to stave off his hunger but not enough to fully fill him. Perhaps next time he needed to feed, he would catch some true game, have his fill and then find something for Kathryn.

But it mattered not now, he thought as he landed, folding in his wings as he walked into the Mountain. He found Kathryn sitting in the middle of the chamber, back to reading a book once again. She smiled briefly at him in greeting. He noticed that she had finished polishing that cup, and thought how it was rather beautiful once it had been cleaned, he rather liked it…

He deposited the carcass by her feet and waited as she cut her share off, before quickly tucking in himself, though this time he was able to enjoy the taste of the flesh as he savoured the meal. Once they were both finished, they cleaned themselves of blood or grease and the coins around them – Smaug would never have his horde be tainted thus.

Watching as Kathryn settled back down onto the gold, Smaug deliberately lay his huge bulk not far from her, watching in amusement as she jumped at the thud his weight gave as it hit the ground. He then curled up around her, head no more than a foot away from her, the underside of his neck almost touching her back, and then his tail came to graze the other side of his jaw, effectively trapping her with him on all her sides. Feigning sleep, as if he did not know what he had done, he secretly watched her, peeking out from under his eyelids as he watched to see what she would do. She looked almost confused at first, but quickly just shrugged, and then went back to her book.

Ten minutes passed, and Smaug began to grow disappointed – although he had no idea why – a sigh in his breath as he tried to settle for real sleep and –

He suddenly felt a brush of fabric and soft mortal skin beneath against his neck. He had to stop his eyes from snapping open, and instead peeked out to look at her again. Kathryn was leaning her back against him, sitting comfortably and easily as she still read the book in her lap; her soft hair splayed out over his scales as she leaned her head back against him. She looked so at ease, as if she had been around him her whole life.

A few days ago, Smaug would have been furious. Now though, he struggled to keep himself from smirking.

* * *

**A/N: Okay so, I hope this chapter isn't too... dark? If anyone thinks this should be shifted up to "M" then please say.**

**Desolation of Smaug is out this weekend guys! ARGH! :D Oh my gosh, you have no idea how pumped I am for this! I've already got my tickets for Saturday! Oh-YEAH! And you can all be sure that I'll be thinking of you guys as I watch, my sub-conscious will undoubtedly be filing away every little detail that I may use for the story... or not... you never know... ;) **

**Please review! Would love to hear all feedback, and tell all your internet buddies! Thank you so much! Now, I'm off to youtube to watch as many new Smaug related trailers, clips, and production-diaries as I can as I count down the hours until I'm in the cinema! See you guys next time!**


	10. Chapter 10 - A Heavy Heart

**Author's Note: Okay, so before we get started with the next chapter, I just have to say something: I SAW THE MOVIE! **

**I'm not going to give spoilers or spill the secret, but HOLY HELL! This film is the best movie I've seen in YEARS! Easily now one of my top three of all time! And can I just say, Smaug... Oh my GOD! This thing is THE MOST SPECTACULAR dragon ever, now easily the best dragon in film or TV. The performance was fantastic; if I didn't know that he was played by Benedict Cumberbatch, I would seriously think that this thing was real because the performance was just utterly amazing, this was a character, not a guy that you could tell was acting with his voice in a mo-cap studio or behind a mic. And the design? Utterly fantastic! If people think that he was spoiled by the trailer? HELL NO! Trust me, you haven't seen anything yet! **

**If you haven't seen the movie yet, PLEASE! go online, buy your tickets, WATCH THIS! **

**Because of the amazing Smaug material in this film, I have HUGE PLOT BUNNIES! :D So, as the story goes on, I want people to be aware that I'm going to be as close as I can be to both the Movie and the book (what little I've read of it), and also any legitimate information online. **

**So, now that I've calmed down a little (at least until the image of Smaug from the movie pops into my head again), on with Chapter 10!**

* * *

Chapter 10 – A Heavy Heart

"While you live we cannot part, I must live lifelong inside you, locked within your beating heart – Blood"

* * *

Smaug stirred from his slumber as he heard a small sound. It was just enough to awaken his senses, his ears craning to hear the specific whereabouts of the sound, his nose twitching for a scent, his sixth sense feeling the very air around him for any hint of an intruder. But there was none, he could only feel Kathryn in the mountain with him. But still he continued to hear a small sound, a slight hiccup breathing, and a moan.

Perhaps it was Kathryn in too deep a sleep, he reasoned. But when he had been asleep, her consciousness had not joined his in dreams. They dreamt together most nights, but not always, for sometimes one or the other was in such a deep sleep that they did not have the sense of mind to connect.

But Smaug could smell a certain salty taste to the air, and he heard Kathryn's moans turn into whimpers. Confused, he opened one eye, coins falling from his brow as he had buried himself deep within his treasure before falling asleep. He looked at the lone figure not too far away, her back to him, her hair cascading down onto the floor. Smaug watched as he saw her shoulders shake in time with her whimpering and uneven breathing. He frowned, finding this rather odd. Perhaps she was –

Suddenly Kathryn cried out, a loud, mournful sound exploding from her throat as she rolled onto her back and arched her spine, huge hacking sobs shaking her frame as tears rolled down her face. She tried to cover the sound by clasping one shaking hand over her mouth tightly, though she could barely breath through her blocked nose from her weeping. Even though the chamber was in the heavy gloom of night, Smaug could still see that her face was extremely pale, a light sweat beading her face, her eyes swollen and red from the tears that refused to cease.

For some reason, her unexplainable distress discomforted him. Rising from his horde, he looked down onto the tiny figure as he leaned closer to her, trying to see if there was anything that ailed her. To his confusion, he found nothing. What surprised him even more, was the fact that Kathryn barely seemed to notice him: she just continued to weep uncontrollably as she stared at the ceiling, hand still clasped over her mouth to stifle her cries.

Smaug snorted, blowing his hot, foul breath over her body, causing her to flinch and shiver in response.

Slowly, her gaze travelled to meet his, and she stared into his glowing fiery eyes. Smaug saw such misery in her gaze, such an unquenchable sorrow, a guilt that plagued her face as her eyes swam with tears that burned her face. Kathryn held his gaze for as long as she could, her hand falling to her side. But soon her lips began to tremble, and her face crumbled as she released a choking sob, turning onto her side, facing away from him as she curled into a ball. Smaug was rendered dumbfounded by this display, he was almost disturbed by this sudden emotion in her; was she mad? He tried to figure out the puzzle but no matter what he thought, no plausible explanation gave him the answer.

He snorted at her in a much more demanding tone, his eyes fixed on her in search of a response. All he got was more whimpering as she huddled deeper into herself.

"Just go away…" she whispered in a hoarse voice.

Smaug growled a warning as he bared his teeth; he would not be spoken to like this and he would certainly not be dismissed! His lips quivered to reveal his teeth, but not even his ferocious behaviour got a response from the human woman. She remained unreachable, stewing in her own misery, which as of yet, Smaug had no idea what was the cause.

Why was he even bothering? Why was he so interested to find out? He should have just ignored her, she was mortal after all: they didn't have enough time in their lives in order to settle on one feeling for too long. But still, he couldn't stop the nagging in the back of his mind, one that persisted with curiosity to know what had his human in such a state.

He was tempted to reach out, grab her and simply force her to face him and tell him as he demanded. But he knew it would be pointless. He then remembered the first time he had entered her mind, her fear, how he reached her…

"Kathryn," he murmured as softly as he thought was necessary. "Tell me: what is wrong." He knew that other humans would have been… softer, more sympathetic, said it more as a request. But Smaug would not. His voice was as gentle as he deemed fit, but he left no room in his words for refusal.

Kathryn was silent for a long time, so long that Smaug was about to snap at her for not answering him.

"They're dead…" she finally whispered. Smaug blinked in confusion: who was she talking about? Was she delirious?

"Who are you talking about?" he said gruffly.

"My…" she paused, her eyes wide as if she could see the person in front of her, a hacking sob shaking her body once again. "M-my parents…"

Smaug frowned; this was what had her so upset? Her parents were dead? That was it? He snorted, shaking his head as if to clear it as he yawned, flashing his long and deadly teeth. She had told him that she had left her parents, for they had locked her away, drugged her, making her suffer to a degree that Smaug almost wanted to burn them himself for putting one of his treasures through that, even if he hadn't even been aware of her existence. So why was she grieving them? He understood that mortals had close family ties, like a pack of animals, but surely not hers.

He struggled to understand her emotion and it quickly grew on his patience and frustration. He himself had never been that close to his own parents; being the strongest of his nest, he had grown to considerable size quickly, and had left as soon as possible in order to carve out a territory of his own. He had not seen his mother, father or nest-mates since he had left. If they were dead, by natural means or otherwise, he didn't really care. If they had been slain, then by his honour as a Fire-Drake he was obligated to challenge the strength of whoever had killed one of his own, but afterwards, he would make sure their bodies were taken care of, and then he'd be back to his life. So long as neither he nor his horde was disturbed, he wasn't bothered.

But Kathryn wasn't that close to her parents from what she had described, and yet she still mourned for them as if they were a limb cut from her physical body. And somehow, to his great confusion, the fact that she was so upset slightly distressed him also. He had never had to deal with _empathy_ before, and it unnerved him.

He sighed, it was obvious that he wasn't going to get any peace of mind until this was done. So, he settled himself on top of the gold by the huddled figure of the woman, curving his long neck so that his head could rest on the side facing her and one of his eyes could see down onto her face. He subtly brought his tail towards her and curled it around her, not touching her, but still surrounding her with his heat to her cold form.

"Tell me what happened," he said.

Kathryn's eyes flickered as she looked at him, seemingly unsure. Smaug merely stared back at her, reminding himself to be patient. Kathryn took a loud gulp as she tried to wet her parched throat, and with a shaky voice, began to speak.

"I… I had a vision," she said little above a whisper. "My parents… they were in their little house – still as I remembered it," she whispered almost forlornly. "They were in their beds, and they were ill... so _ill_. I was watching in real time: it wasn't something that had happened or was going to be. My father couldn't stop coughing, his body so hot and sweaty from the fever, my mother was constantly whispering to herself as she spoke to phantoms in her delirium. The physician couldn't do anything…"

She stopped as a shiver ran down her spine, and she had to control her breathing or else surrender to another fit of sobs.

"Go on," Smaug growled out.

"All of a sudden my mother… my mother – she… sh-she –" Kathryn struggled past the lump in her throat as her lips began to tremble and the tears started to fill her eyes once again. "She screamed at the good doctor, shouted and yelled at him… she said: "Bring me my baby back!" over and over." Tears were now steadily running down Kathryn's face as she tried to keep her sobbing at bay so that she could say the rest of the tale. "And my father, he… he spoke, as if he knew I was there, watching, listening. He simply said… "I'm sorry," and then I had to watch as they… as they…" she was unable to finish as she buried her face in her blankets and wept for all she was worth.

Smaug exhaled heavily as he waited patiently for her to let her grief out of her system.

"They would be ashamed of me," Kathryn suddenly spat with disgust and anger, her knuckles turning white as she clenched her fists around her blankets.

"And why is that?"

"Because I am ashamed of myself!" she hissed, looking at him with self-loathing and malice in her eyes as bitter tears streaked her cheeks. "Look at me! I'm a… I'm a…" she had to swallow as it looked like she would vomit from the word she was about to utter. "I am a _murderer_, and a filthy abomination!"

Smaug could not stop himself from growling savagely, the sounds echoing around the vast chamber menacingly. He saw the woman take that as the demand that it was; his anger was ignited at her own scorn, and he had little patience to spend if she did not have a very good reason for such talk.

"I… I _killed_ a man! His blood is on my hands! He could have a wife! Children! They will never see him again, and it is because of _me_! And I cannot escape that damnation: every time I close my eyes, every time I relax, I hear him screaming, I see his eyes!" she shuddered, her face draining of blood as her hands shook and again she looked like she would be sick. "And what's worse," she continued shakily. "Is that I couldn't stop it… if I had killed him with my own hands with every intention, then… I could live with that… but I unleashed a power I have **_no idea_** how to control!" her eyes were wide with terror as she looked at him, holding her hands away from herself as if they were tainted with a foul substance that only she could see. "I let it go in a spur of the moment and then I had no way of taking it back! I'm a… a _freak_!"

"Your fear is unwarranted," Smaug snapped. Kathryn rounded on him, her eyes bright with anger – Smaug was almost impressed by her ferocity, if it were not laughable that she thought to intimidate him.

"Unwarranted?!" she hissed. "It is completely warranted! What if I completely lose control of this?! What if it goes beyond my emotional state – these **_attacks_** could go off at random intervals, I would literally be a walking disaster waiting to happen! I don't expect you to understand," she growled. "I am… **_terrified_** of this. That there is a part of me waiting for the right moment to snap away from me and unleash something I can't control nor stop! And now I have _killed_ with it; killed someone who did not deserve it, who was just doing what he thought to be right… and I took away his life. Who granted me that power?" she then looked away from the dragon, her eyes going towards the ceiling though she seemed to look beyond to empty space, a tear falling down her cheek and onto her shoulder. "I don't want this, please… sweet Valar… take it away… **_please!_**"

Smaug narrowed his eyes; he still did not understand why she was so emotional. But he had… the basis of an idea to understand. She was frightened of herself, and though from what he understood of fear (having never experienced it himself) it did not invoke this response. Yes she was afraid, but in this, he gathered that she was searching for… release?

He snorted. He would not have this nonsense. His suddenly new "empathy" was enough that he was concerned for her mental stability, but apparently it did not offer him to understand her plight and be sympathetic towards it. No, he would finish and settle this matter for her. Now.

He suddenly coiled his long tail around her, hearing her shriek in surprise as she struggled momentarily against him as he looped his tail around her body several times, pinning her arms to her sides and squeezing her legs together, so that only her head and the top of her shoulders were sticking out. He brought her in front of his nose, so that she had nowhere to look but his great, glowing eyes.

"Listen well, _human_," he hissed in a breathy, snake-like voice that rumbled with the hint of a warning growl. "It may have escaped your notice, but it has not escaped mine: you are of no threat to anyone, for you are here and always will be. Do you think a little zap of magic is going to hurt me? Bah!" he snarled. "If it were not for the circumstances, I would find that an insult!" he then seemed to calm slightly as he gazed deeply into her violet-purple eyes, like amethysts, that were wide with apprehension of what he would do. "But if it is self-control you seek, then learn it. Master that which makes you weak, and turn it into your own strength! With time and patience come all things… And as for your pathetic _guilt_," he said the word distastefully. "Dismiss it. It is illogical and irrelevant!"

"Then you don't understand what guilt or grief is," she murmured.

"You're right: I don't," he stated bluntly. "Because as I said: it is illogical and irrelevant."

"I won't be able to brush it aside as easily as you!"

"You don't have to. The world will keep spinning, no matter who lives or dies. So if the world continues, then so must you," with a final huff of his foul breath, he settled back onto the gold, placing Kathryn back where she had been, his coils loosening around her, though he did not permit for them to leave her. "Now sleep." He commanded. "You have wasted enough of the night already,"

Although his words were harsh, the meaning of the… support or "comfort" that he meant to give was all in the way that his tail laid bunched around her body, gently squeezing her every now and again. The heat of him surrounding her cold body, warming her, and letting her know he was there as she drifted into sleep.

* * *

Kathryn sat upon one of the stairs that led up to the mountain halls of the rest of the fortress, her back ached to an almost painful degree as she sat uncomfortably against the stone. Her stomach was an empty pit that gaped inside of her, begging like a dog for food. She felt exhausted from lack of peaceful sleep, and even her bones felt stiff and ached immeasurably. But she ignored it all, instead staring blankly into nothingness.

Smaug eyed her from his place amongst his horde, glaring at her with bright eyes that seemed to cast shadows from their inner light. But she ignored him also. He growled, as if trying to get her attention in an attempt to break her trance. He only grew angrier when it did not seem to work. Though, Kathryn couldn't blame him for his anger: the past two days she had refused to eat what had been given to her. She had lost all appetite as her guilt had refused to leave her, even after her confession to Smaug, and she had sat stewing in her own self-pity and self-loathing to worry about a problem that seemed as mundane as _hunger_. But as a result, she had slowly begun to wither away, worse so then when she had first come to the mountain. Now one could see her ribs, she seemed to have lost a substantial amount of weight, her skin looked pale and unhealthy; bags under her eyes made them look swollen and beaten. She constantly shivered from a cold that was never there, though she sweated when she tried to wrap herself up. She had not spoken a word since telling Smaug of her heavy heart, only ever saying anything when he demanded she sing as always.

Her parents death weighed heavily on her mind, how now she truly had nothing to go back to. What hurt her most was the fact that her parents had truly cared, at least in part, for they seemed to regret what they had done to her. It made her want to weep again at the thought that the last words ever spoken between the three of them were Kathryn's hateful screams as she had been locked away for the last time on that final night, and then her vow to never return once she had broken free and run away from the only home she had ever known. Her parents had died alone, without her there to give them the forgiveness they so had clearly yearned for.

And then there was the matter of the Knight and her explosive powers. What would they think of her if they knew that she had killed an honourable man with a power she could barely understand, let alone hope to tame? And for what? A dragon, her captor, one that many would see killed for the fact that he was the tyrannical ruler of these lands, a harbinger of death and destruction wherever he went.

One could argue that she had done the right thing: the Knight would have surely failed, and with him, the wrath of the dragon would surely have followed wherever he had come from, and would burn everything for revenge. By killing the knight herself she was quickening his inevitable death, and then saving lives by having the business done, so the dragon would not go to Gondor if he didn't know where the Knight came from.

But then others would call her selfish: she should have at least allowed the Knight to try, perhaps he might have been successful, and then he would have freed all the people of the east from the dragon's dominion. By saving Smaug's life, she had only saved herself, choosing to continue his rule and to stay with him.

Kathryn still had to wonder at her sanity for doing that. Choosing to stay a prisoner rather than to chance at freedom? Was it because she knew that the Knight would fail? Possibly. Was it because the Mountain had become a home to her? Was it because this was now her only refuge in the world where she was undisturbed by all who would either hurt or corrupt her? Or was it something else?

Why did she want Smaug to live?

Her stomach gave a very loud growl, one that seemed to thunder almost as loud as a dragon's roar. Smaug looked at her sharply. Kathryn looked down at her own body, seeing the dress on her that used to be a good fit now hanging loose slightly. But, she ignored herself, simply crossing her arms over her stomach and gazing back into empty space.

Smaug snapped his jaws with an angry snarl, standing to his feet and glaring down at her with blazing eyes. He then quickly stomped off out of the chamber towards the front gates, leaping as agilely as a mountain lion between pillars and over stairways that lead upwards to the rest of the fortress. Kathryn could still hear him as he crashed through the fortress to the entrance in a fit of anger, and soon heard him as he snapped open his wings and flew away.

She sighed heavily, completely drained, both physically and mentally. She knew that Smaug was angry because she was allowing herself to waste away, as he who never allowed his treasures to fall into any kind of disrepair.

She supposed that he was right, she couldn't let herself waste away, she had to get on with her life. But there was always that fear that held her back: if she killed once what was to stop her from doing it again? What if she couldn't choose who died next time, what if it was an innocent? A child? She shuddered. Surely it would be better to die then to live with the burden of knowing that she could end someone's life with but a thought, a small loss of self-control.

But _she_ had to be the one to stop that. _She_ had to be the one to learn control, and she would be the one to change.

Smaug was right – though she wouldn't boost his already enormous ego by telling him so – the world was continuing, and so should she. Granted, it would still take time for her to get over her grief, but with time came acceptance.

She waited for Smaug to return, and when he did, he seemed to regard her icily as he entered the chamber. He held one foreleg back, angling it so that his hand was out of sight as he stared at her. Kathryn stood and walked a few paces towards him – ignoring how she became dizzy and lightheaded from the weakness of her body. She retrieved her carving knife and bowl as she would have done normally, and cautiously approached. Smaug raised a scaly eyebrow at her as his eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"You are eating?"

"Yes, if that is alright by you," she added courteously, for it would do no good to antagonise him with bad manners and merely assuming that he would feed her.

"Good," Smaug growled and slowly opened his hand as he deposited something upon the gold.

Kathryn stared, dumbstruck, as a live goat tried to stand on the unsteady perch of the gold beneath its hooves where it had been dumped. It looked around, eyes wide with terror as it smelled and then saw the monstrous dragon not fifteen feet away. It bleated in fear and tried to bolt, legs still wobbly as the gold shifted and tumbled beneath it. Before it could get too far, Smaug struck out a hand into the gold in front of it, causing the frightened animal to scream in terror before stumbling to a stop and then swerving to race back the way it had come. Again, when it went too far, Smaug swung his tail and where it landed the animal desperately tried to escape, until suddenly Smaug snatched it into one of his forepaws, pinning it to the ground so that it would remain still, though it continued to scream in fear, eyes rolling in its head as it panted for breath and struggled.

Kathryn stared in horror from the helpless goat to the gigantic dragon standing above.

"What is this?!" she demanded in a fierce whisper.

"Your dinner," the dragon snapped impatiently.

"What?" she looked at him with wide eyes. "But it is still alive!"

"Yes. That is why you are going to kill it," Smaug said bluntly.

"No!" she gasped, looking horrified. "I can't! You –"

"What is the difference between you killing it now or myself killing it for you?" he asked icily.

"I can't! I won't!" she said vehemently. "I have never killed an animal before! I refuse –"

"It doesn't matter _how_ you kill, as long as the heart stops beating!" Smaug snapped. "And you will do this,"

"I won't!"

"Yes you will," he growled viciously. "Because this will stay here until you do. I will not kill it, and I will not go hunting for more food. I do not _need_ to eat for a few weeks. And you have run out of other food to eat. You must kill, or die,"

"Why are you doing this?!" she hissed.

"Because I know you'll do it,"

"You're willing to take the gamble that I'd rather die than kill a goat?"

"There is no gamble on my part. Are you gambling your life for the sake of a goat?"

"Who am I to say that my life is more important?!"

"Everything must kill another to survive; that is nature's way!" the dragon snarled.

Kathryn looked at the goat that still lay pinned beneath Smaug's claws, its eyes wide with terror, screaming for mercy. She felt her stomach twist in revulsion, a shudder going down her spine… but her stomach groaning for sustenance. Breathing in a quick, sharp breath as she tried to clear her eyes that were misty all of a sudden, she walked over to the goat.

She placed her knife against its throat, bracing herself as she tried to sooth her shaking hands. She took several quick breaths, trying to get as much air in her lungs as she could as she suddenly became light headed again. Before she could think too much, she quickly dug in the blade and pulled it across the throat.

Blood sprayed and splattered the gold, the light in the goat's eyes faded in a blink as its life pooled out onto the floor. It lay there limp, unmoving. But Kathryn felt sick as she continued to stare at what she had done, memories of the knight flashing before her eyes.

She heard Smaug make an approving growl in his throat, before moving his claws away and lowering his head and opening his maw. Kathryn watched as a light began to form in his chest, seeming to leak between the scales of his golden underbelly, as it flooded up in his throat in a dazzling display of light, and then, as softly as he could, Smaug breathed fire upon the dead animal, the flames cooking it thoroughly but not incinerating it. Kathryn stared in wonderment, the display distracting her mind from what she had just done and the smell of the cooked meat that made her stomach growl loudly. She had never noticed the beauty of it before… so deadly but so utterly breath taking at the same time. Smaug seemed to be filled with golden light… as if his heart was made of fire.

He fixed his fiery gaze upon her, and she suddenly felt stranded and bare before his eyes.

"Do you know why I did this?" he asked. "You killed today to survive, if you hadn't you may have died. That is what you must think: kill to survive, not because you can."

"But you do: you kill because it pleases you, for malice and for sport," she murmured in a broken voice.

"And that is the difference between you and I. I kill where I wish and take every pleasure in it. But you: You did nothing wrong here when you killed for food. As when you killed the knight, you did nothing wrong."

"That wasn't for food."

"No, it was for survival. There is no shame in that,"

Kathryn looked at the dragon, her eyes searching his for anything… anything that she could mistrust. But what shocked her, was the fact that she could find nothing at all. She completely trusted him, trusted his word, and believed it.

He watched her, calm and collected. He looked as if he could see into her soul and lay her bare, and then put together the pieces where he might also tear and destroy with but a thought. Yet, he didn't. And in those eyes… she felt safe.

"Thank you," she whispered.

* * *

Slowly, the long, cold winter nights bled away as the dawns came earlier and earlier, the snow and ice that covered the landscape began to dissipate, and the howling, freezing winds turned soft and musty with pollen. And slowly, the icy grasp of winter that held itself over the land began to melt away as spring slowly came. Somewhere far off, grasses grew tall, daisies and other wild flowers came into bloom. A Shepard watched over his sheep as lambs began to be born, their first, soft, infant bleats filling the air. Leaves began to grow back on the trees once again, and all manner of birdsong filled the forests as those that had flown south for the winter finally returned.

Though none of this came near the Lonely Mountain. It was as if all of nature itself knew of the Dragon's presence within, and so kept its distance from his territory, so as not to incur his wrath.

But Kathryn knew that spring had come. She knew it as she saw the sun's stronger light filter in from somewhere high above into the treasure chamber. The very air, even in the depths of the dragon's lair, was more alive, carrying with it the scent of rebirth and hope.

Smaug seemed to grow cranky from all of the activity in the land, often complaining that he could never get any sleep from the "unrelenting chatter". Though as the months passed, he seemed to grow accustomed to it; Kathryn almost found his complaints a little humorous, though she did her best to hide that from him.

Life in the Mountain had continued as normal, though Kathryn now added an extra activity to her morning routine: Meditation.

She would awaken at dawn, and then put herself through various mental exercises in order to try and focus her mind. She would start by counting backwards: at first from fifty, then from one hundred and so forth to present more a challenge. She would then imagine herself in her mind's eye, with this new power as a source of light that she would put into a box and then go through the process of carefully packing away the power and then shutting the box and locking it with a key. She would then do various body stretches to help her mind focus with physical activity, learning control of her body slowly through the many stretches and poses she would create.

Smaug had once suggested that she try to invoke an electrical charge of her magic: by inducing it, she could know what caused these seemingly random bursts and therefore learn to control it with her will. Although this possibility had scared her at first, she still tried. It was much more difficult then she had previously thought. And after weeks of trying, the most she could manage with force of will alone was a painful vibration down her arm and the stirring of a few coins in a radius of no bigger than her palm.

Kathryn sat one morning, after all her exercises were done, and she took a moment of respite. She watched as Smaug lay dozing not far away, grumbling to himself as he shifted amongst his precious gold, allowing the gold to cascade over his body. He grumbled in a light sleep, a growl reverberating around the chamber as he flicked his tail. Kathryn felt her lips twitch into a smile as she watched him, he yawned, flashing his long tongue and deadly teeth as his breath left him in a heavy sigh.

And she realised, that she was content.

They had both changed: Smaug was no longer the terrifying, monstrous, destructive nightmare that she had first encountered. Or rather, he still was, but her opinion of him had changed in her eyes. She had no doubt that he was still the same twisted and malicious creature to everyone else in Middle-Earth, but at least with her… with her he seemed calmer, more civil, less paranoid or on edge.

And Kathryn had changed. She was no longer a frightened girl desperate to find peace, barely understanding herself both as a Seer and as a woman. Yes, she was still frightened of her powers and had absolutely no idea how she was ever going to control them. But now it was less so. And that was thanks in large part, to Smaug. Yes, it had not been the easiest tutelage, for he had seen her fears as pathetic and lack of knowledge and ability to control herself completely frustrating in its lacking; but he had taught her control, and with it a sense of security. And for that, she was eternally grateful.

Perhaps she was mad. Perhaps this was all a dream, a hallucination induced by the drugs her parents force fed her.

But she hoped not.

* * *

**A/N: So, I hope you enjoyed Chapter 10. Before you think it: I didn't just play the tragedy Card! Kathryn already had all these fears and guilts from the last few chapters bottled up inside of her, but her parents' death was just something that she saw and it just pushed her over the edge. ****_That _****was what that scene was about. **

**But, on a lighter note, I hope that everyone enjoyed the chapter, and please review! Tell me what you think of: Kathryn's emotions? Smaug's... "comfort"? The whole not eating? I seriously hope I haven't offended Vegetarians or Animal Rights activists with this bit, I seriously didn't mean anything! It was just Smaug going a little extreme (as if he could be anything else) in showing her that she was justified in what she did. And what did you think of Kathryn coming to terms with being happy in the Mountain? Hope the ending wasn't too sickly for you ;)**

**Thanks again, I love you guys SO MUCH! Please review and give me your feedback! And don't forget to vote on the poll! I may get one more chapter out before Christmas! See you guys then! x**


	11. Chapter 11 - Temptation

**Author's Note: Hi everyone! So, 170+ Reviews, 220+ Followers, and 150 Favourites?! *nearly faints***

**Holy Moly, you have NO IDEA how happy you guys have made me, seriously, I'm bouncing with joy at the moment, this is far more then I ever hoped this story would achieve! And I owe everything to you readers, that's why this nice, extra long chapter is for you! This is my Christmas gift to you guys. I hope you like it ;) This was my most favourite Chapter to write so far. **

**Just a quick special thanks to Fuchsia Grasshopper for helping me with a dilemma in this chapter, and to ilovedracoDH for my morale. Thank you, you guys :)**

* * *

Chapter 11 – Temptation

"What is it you ought to keep after you have given it to someone else? – A Promise"

* * *

_Smaug felt his mind settle as he attached his consciousness to Kathryn's, allowing himself to adjust as he was transported from his own mind into hers and merging into her subconscious. Leaving behind the confines of his own mind he washed away the darkness as her mental realm began to take form around him._

_And then he began to fall. _

_Smaug was briefly startled as he fell from the heavens, the furious winds thrashing his body as he flailed, the air trying to snap at his huge wings that briefly gave him purchase but his tumbling body quickly pushed him closer to the ground. It took him but a moment to see the endless clouds spread out beneath him, with more clouds above him, giving him a direct whereabouts of his altitude, the clouds were blazed with amber light at the sun that appeared to be setting. There was no landmarks about him, no mountains or fortresses breaking the cloud line, meaning that even if he were to break through the clouds he would still have hundreds of thousands of feet left before he collided with the earth. _

_As easily as breathing, his body responding to the commands as his blood sang with the thrill of flight. Smaug flipped his bulk through the air, spinning slightly until he was pointing down towards the earth and tucking in his wings, his spine completely straight like an arrow, the wind – although roaring furiously around him – merely passed over his aerodynamic body, as he cut through the air like a serrated blade through flesh. Snapping his wings open and tilting his tail, he levelled off and merely glided lazily along the air currents that lifted him._

_Smaug allowed himself to descend as he went towards the clouds in order to search for Kathryn. He had not started a dream this high since he had first appeared in her mind. Perhaps there was a high rise close by that she was on, that might explain why he was –_

_Suddenly, Smaug heard a familiar scream of terror, his head snapping towards the sound and his eyes locking onto a tiny figure that fell through the clouds, rapidly descending towards the ground._

_Smaug felt something in him go cold, and with a roar he flapped his wings and was shooting faster than a comet towards the falling human. The "boom" of his wings was like a thunderclap as he was propelled through the air, expertly angling himself as he came in towards Kathryn from an angle like a hawk descending upon a pigeon. _

_Kathryn screamed as she was hurtling through the air, her absolute terror reaching his ears and urging him to propel himself faster. She saw him and began to reach for him, even as she tumbled head over heels through the air. Smaug narrowed his eyes and tucked his wings closer to his body, making him more streamline as he dove towards the helpless human. He began to grow increasingly frustrated and concerned that he never seemed to be gaining any ground, it was as if the faster he flew the faster she dropped._

_"Smaug!" he heard her scream as she suddenly fell beneath the bank of clouds._

_Smaug gave another thunderclap of his wings to push himself faster, and quickly passed through the misty clouds, shaking off whatever damp lay within, trying to clear his vision of the mist as he cleared the clouds and entered another section of the heavens that looked exactly like the one he had just left._

_And Kathryn was nowhere in sight._

_"Kathryn!" the dragon roared as he made to swoop down to where he knew she must have gone, hoping that the ground was not beneath this section of clouds. Although this was just a dream, Smaug knew of the belief that if one were to die in a dream, the shock was so powerful that it could induce real harm and possibly even death in the physical realm. Many thought it to be superstitious nonsense, and Smaug was inclined to agree – he just wasn't going to test that theory on this occasion though. _

_Suddenly, he heard a thunderous roar, and barely had enough time to duck out of the way as a dragon came shooting past him, beating its wings furiously in an attempt to gain altitude. Smaug roared his challenge in outrage, and was about to attack –_

_When the dragon levelled off and turned in the air, and he saw… violet-purple eyes._

_Smaug literally froze in place, his eyes widening as he followed the dragon's movements, taking in every single aspect of it._

_It was distinctly female, as he could tell from her narrower body and less decorative horns. She was smaller than him, much smaller, but still what humans would call a formidable size. She had a narrow snout and a long serpentine neck, her wings were unblemished with no tears or breaks, but she seemed to be using them too much, continuously flapping them like an awkward duckling as if to guarantee her altitude. But her scales… her scales were like molten gold, they gleamed in the light of the sun, seeming to shine as if she were a drop of sunlight, her underbelly was pale cream, but at the base of her skull, just behind her horns and almost out of sight, Smaug saw a dash of ruby red scales. The same colour as Katrhyn's hair, and he only had to look into her snake-like violet-purple eyes to know that it was her._

_But he couldn't stop staring; how had she done this?_

_"Kathryn," he said aloud, making the dragoness jump slightly, making her lose the rhythm of her wing-beats momentarily. She looked at him with those large draconic eyes, her expression one of fear but also… elation. "What did you do?" _

_"I…" she seemed lost for words for a moment. "I'm not sure… I was falling and then… you said once that I was the one to change the reality here, and I saw you change your form in my dreams easily with your will. When it looked like you wouldn't catch me… I __**willed**__ myself to fly." She breathed._

_"I would have caught you," he growled and with a flap of his wings soared past her, slightly knocking her with the air flow from his passing. She teetered on falling, but quickly regained her wings and flapped them furiously to keep herself aloft. She looked at him with hurt in her eyes but when she saw that he hovered in the air waiting for her, she gave a toothy grin and jerked her body after him. Soon he was leading her through the endless sky making her flight slightly easier by providing her the lift from his air-streams from under his wings. _

_"'I would have caught you'? Is that what you're angry about?" she asked, a slight twinkle of mischief in her eyes._

_"Straighten your wings and glide!" he snapped, eyes blazing a warning for her to keep quiet and do as she was told. "You'll tire yourself out if you continuously flap them like a pelican!" _

_Kathryn did as she was bid, locking her wings straight out as she glided, though this wasn't any easier to maintain._

_"Relax the joints: just hold your wings don't lock them!" _

_Kathryn relaxed her grip on her wings, just holding them out and allowing the wind to do the work for her as the air filled beneath her leathery wings and lifted her. She merely glided along the air currents and was able to go in a straight line for a little while before her weight started her descent; but then, following Smaug's example, it only took one push of her enormous wingspan and she was pushed back up into the air._

_Smaug watched as he saw the joy enter her eyes, slowly spreading across her body as the nerves and apprehension began to dissipate as she grew used to the motion of flying, and utter happiness took its place. Her jaw hung open slightly as she flashed her teeth, doing a draconic impression of a human grin. Smaug shook his head, but her delight was infectious and he couldn't help his lips from twitching into a smirk. He banked left, but saw out of the corner of his eye that Kathryn was flapping her wings continuously again, looking panicked as she was suddenly left stranded in the air._

_"How do I turn?!" she asked frantically._

_"In the glide position, lean your body and turn your tail," he called back to her. _

_She did as she was told, pushing with her wings to give her one last reassuring purchase of height before levelling out into a glide. She threw her tail to the right, whilst leaning her body to the left, though she over calculated and almost did a loop-the-loop before she panicked and started to flail around helplessly and began to tumble. Smaug growled in frustration as he swooped after her and put her back into position before giving her the benefit of his stream-line air from under his wings once again. _

_"Not that much!" he snapped irritably. _

_"It looks so easy when you do it!" she groaned. _

_"I have been doing this for centuries," he shot back. "And we dragons have the song of the wind in our blood – flying is what we are!"_

_"Oh, I forgot – dragons are vastly superior…" Kathryn muttered sarcastically. _

_"We are. Especially when compared to mortals," he growled._

_"But I'm not human anymore," she gave another grin as she raised a scaly eye-ridge at him. _

_"You still have the limited mentality of one," he muttered but smirked again as he flew onwards with her close on his left flank. _

_They continued onward, Smaug instructing as he went whenever she would ask something. _

_As the time passed, Kathryn seemed to grow much more confident in her new body, testing her new strength and agility in flight. She would venture outside of his airstream and soar along the air currents, laughing in her mirth as she shot through a cloud, leaving behind a wispy trail like an arrow pointing in her direction. But no matter what he told her, she could never distinguish between an updraft or downdraft, and would often brace for the wrong one, sending her tumbling in either direction until she gained control of herself. That would be the time when she would hurry back to Smaug, sticking close to his flank and the relative ease of flying behind him; that is, until she plucked up the courage to go off on her own again._

_Smaug sighed in frustration. Truly, she was like a juvenile, constantly wandering away before scurrying back to his side, her eyes constantly wide with wonder at everything around her. He had had more self-control on his first flight then this. _

_Suddenly he heard a gasp, and turned his head slightly to see Kathryn flap her wings in order to push away from his shadow, gaining her own space. He watched, intrigued as he saw her close her eyes as if in deep concentration, breathing deeply and her eyes shifting behind her lids as if she were searching for the source of a muscle pain. And then, he saw her belly began to glow, a bright shine of light leaking out from between the pale-cream scales of her chest. The light flowed up her slim throat towards her skull, and he heard her take a huge breath, filling her lungs to beyond capacity and coiling her neck like a snake. With a roar, her head shot forward, extending her neck into line with her chest, exhaling as she bellowed a torrent of fire from her maw. The heat of it scolded the air around them, and Smaug was almost mystified as he watched the fire create a halo of light around her head. The brightness of the flames set her golden scales ablaze with a shining light as if they were made of melted gold. _

_With a snap of her jaws, Kathryn extinguished the flames, the light in her throat ceasing, and she turned to look at him with wide and bright eyes. He merely blinked at her as he stared back, for once, not sure how to feel. _

_Then, with a roar, Kathryn shot forward with a thunderclap of her wings, racing away through the air at an impressive speed. Smaug smirked, the kind of pride only a teacher could feel as he watched a succeeding student. _

_But then, he noticed Kathryn bank towards him, and he had to move aside before she could barrel into him. But he still felt a rush of wind run right beneath his underbelly as she made sure her back came dangerously close to clipping him. He hissed, and made sure to give her a scolding flick from his whip like tail. Yet she almost paid it no head, as she turned in the air and came swooping back to him, flying just above him, and gave a loud roar as she passed over his head and then quickly shot out of reach before he could snap at her._

_Smaug knew what that roar was: a challenge. He knew he should just ignore her like the infant she was, not knowing what she was doing or who she was meddling with; but another part of him insisted that he would just indulge her in order to __**show**__ her who she was dealing with. It would be worth it just to see her crestfallen face at having been beaten._

_So with a thunderous roar as his answer, Smaug drove his wings down once, and tore after her._

_As he came shooting towards her, Kathryn knew that the race was on. He saw it in her eyes as they widened in fear, but not of him, more like a child: giddy with excitement but fearful that he would catch her and the game would end. He quickly gave chase, snapping at her tail with his teeth but she dodged him, barely managing to keep out of his reach._

_Smaug gave another thunderclap of his wings to give him some more speed, but still she remained aggravatingly elusive. Since she had the body of a female, she would be naturally faster than he, as males were stronger than females but they were always quicker and much more agile. Yet her inexperience showed as she continuously flapped her wings in a panic, and it made her suffer the chase as a result, the wind constantly catching at her wing membranes and pulling her back towards him where she could have been further ahead if she kept them either in a glide or half out. _

_But she wasn't stupid, and quickly caught on to her disadvantage, levelling out as she glided to give her shoulders – which surely must have been aching a little by now – some respite. But this was what Smaug needed, he gave another push of his wings to send him towards her –_

_Suddenly Kathryn reared her body and snapped out her wings, bringing herself to such an abrupt halt, Smaug had to swerve around her and flap his own wings furiously to gain purchase in the air so that he wouldn't have a fatal collision with her. By the time he had regained his composure, he was already much further ahead of her, and when he looked back he saw her quickly turn around and head in the opposite direction. Already she had a good head-start, and she let him know she knew it by giving him a taunting roar._

_Smaug would have been furious, but oddly he just grinned as his eyes sparkled with dark delight as he beat his wings to race after her again, the last of the sun setting behind him._

_Once again, experience was in his favour as Smaug quickly gained on her, closing the gap between them within seconds. Hearing his approach with her heightened senses – whereas otherwise her human hearing would never have picked up a sound – Kathryn turned to see him almost upon her. Quickly tipping her body weight, she tucked in her wings and pointed herself straight as an arrow as she fell into a nose-dive._

_Smaug was almost laughing with delight at the challenge this was turning out to be – it would make his victory all the sweeter. As he had always said, he liked it when his prey fought back, knowing that there was nothing that could best him. He too then quickly shot downwards into a dive of his own._

_The wind howled in his face as it rippled past him, his body slicing through the air as he went after his prey. Once again Kathryn had the advantage of the distance between them, but Smaug had the advantage of weight. His bigger mass easily dwarfed her and now lending him the speed to drop like a stone, making him all the faster as he sped towards her. He narrowed his eyes as he locked onto a spot at the conjoin of her long serpentine neck and shoulders, a spot where her tougher scales were slightly softer, though not enough to be a threat. Smaug waited until he was just behind her, easily within reach of the end of her tail, before he roared out to her in a booming voice in order to be heard above the ferocious wind around them._

_"Do you think to outrun me? Or outwit me?" He taunted her as he gave a dark chuckle. "You cannot do either!"_

_"I don't have to," she looked over her shoulder at him and gave him a smirk of her own as she suddenly slapped the end of her tail into his face, causing a sting on his snout that made him hiss. She then quickly levelled off and vanished into a large mass of clouds._

_Smaug roared, his blood racing in his veins from anything but the exertion of his body. His entire being was honed in for the hunt, for this chase that had suddenly shifted in its dynamics, and he didn't know if it was entirely safe any longer as he felt his self-control begin to wane. But either way, he now had no choice, as his body demanded that he follow her. So with a roar, he broke at an almost right angle, almost tearing his body in half at the amount of strength he had to use to pull it off. He hoped that she had seen that and was impressed at his might for being able to do such a move._

_Once within the clouds, visibility soon became limited to what was directly in front of him. Smaug knew that his prey thought she had an advantage in here, so Smaug held out his wings, and hovered in place as the air filled the leathery membranes. He only had a moment or two before his weight would pull him down, but that was all he needed. Closing his eyes, he allowed his excellent hearing to take effect, listening for the slightest disturbance in the space around him._

_He heard it, the softest flap of wings. And quicker than the eye could follow, he pushed back into the air, heading straight upwards, quickly emerging from the clouds and seeing his quarry not one hundred metres in front of him, climbing upwards into the sky. She noticed him rise from the cloud bank and quickly began to flap furiously in an attempt to go faster. _

_Smaug was having none of it. He could feel it in his bones, his blood was singing as his heart pounded in his skull, a calling deep within his body that had awoken from its dark slumber; this was the moment, the chase was about to end! His inevitable victory had come!_

_Driving his wings down one last time, he managed to get his head level with her shoulders. Hooking the claws of his back legs on her tucked knees, he secured the talons of his hands onto her ribs as he pulled himself up until he was at her eye level, holding his wings out so that they wouldn't collide with hers. In the blink of an eye, he wrapped his tail around hers, pulling her closer as his claws gripped her shoulders so that she was submissive against him. Using his back legs, he directed her hips and body so that she was facing him directly: chest to chest, face to face. Smaug twisted his head so that his throat brushed hers, as he directed his maw towards the back of her neck, his eyes locked on that soft spot. His eyes blazed with triumph as Kathryn instinctively angled her neck to give him better access so that he could drive his teeth into her shoulder and neck, and –_

_Smaug's eyes widened as shock and absolute disbelief filled his entire being. It was the moment he needed, his instincts were screaming at him so loudly he was almost lost to them, if he hadn't hesitated he might never have been able to listen to his rational thoughts. _

_He suddenly realised what he was doing, how this looked; since he had caught her everything had only taken a fraction of a second, but a moment longer and he would have sunk his teeth into her flesh and then they would have begun the fall into the dive and… and…_

_Clamping his jaws shut with a loud "SNAP", Smaug suddenly pushed away from the female before him. Gently enough so that she wouldn't be hurt, but forceful enough to give him some much needed space from her presence at that moment._

_He shook himself like a wet dog, trying to erase what had just happened from his memory, trying to drown out all of the voices as his instincts, every muscle, every nerve in his body screamed and roared at him in fury to finish what he had started. _

_Smaug snarled at himself. He had to regain control, if he didn't, he may do something he would regret. As his blood began to calm, and his more… __**carnal**__ urges began to subside, he found himself be filled with something equally as compelling. Rage. _

_He was absolutely furious. Furious at Kathryn for taking on the form of his own species that she was clearly undeserving of. Furious at himself for giving in to such antics when he should have known better. And Furious at his body for responding to the first thing that resembled one of his own, probably due to his long period of celibacy. After all, it had been over two centuries since he had last seen a fellow dragon, and over a century and a half of that was within Erebor. He snorted; frustration, that was all it was. Nothing more!_

_"Smaug?" He heard a gentle voice just out of his line of sight._

_"What?" He snapped with an angry snort, smoke curling from his nostrils. When he heard silence he turned his glare onto those familiar purple eyes in the unfamiliar golden scaled body that had been the cause of his fury a few mere moments ago. If she was hurt by his sudden anger she did not show it, she merely hung back at a respectful distance from him, and gave a soft, almost comforting purr as she smiled at him warmly. _

_"Thank you for this," she murmured._

_Smaug said nothing, his rage leaving him and he didn't know what to do with himself as a result. So he merely nodded to her. Kathryn smiled again, and turned to look at the moon that had now fully risen in this dream, its pale light casting a silver shine onto the clouds around them, the stars like the diamonds of Smaug's horde, twinkling in the black sky. He watched Kathryn look at them with a sudden longing look in her eyes that it left him intrigued. _

_She seemed… almost oblivious to his internal struggle. Surely she must have felt at least a little shaken by what might have happened…_

_Unless she didn't know; unless she didn't realise…_

_As his mind stewed over what had just happened between them, Smaug sighed through his nostrils as he braced himself for whatever was to come._

* * *

Kathryn awoke, her eyes snapping open as she looked around the chamber. Smaug lay, eerily still, though his deep snores confirmed that he was still asleep.

Taking in a huge breath, Kathryn tried to calm her frantically beating heart. The dream still lingered in her memory and even the memory of her body's muscles, her back slightly aching as if she had been flying for most of the night.

She had flown. She still couldn't believe it, making her grin from ear to ear with delight. She had actually flown: the freedom, the joy in her blood, the lift of her heart, like a song all to itself, a magic that she welcomed! It had made her so happy, she wondered if Smaug felt the same way, or did he just see it as something ordinary, like she thought of walking? But the pride in his voice when he had been teaching her was evident that he enjoyed it as well. If so, then she had to wonder how he could stand being tied to the ground, being stuck in this cavern with no air under his wings, denying himself the option to just jump and go wherever he pleased, and… no sky above him.

Kathryn wasn't even a natural flyer, but that one glimpse into a world of flight… suddenly having two feet felt like she was suffocating! She needed air; how long had it been since she had last seen the sky?

Before she could think of what she was doing, Kathryn shot to her feet and quickly but quietly made her way across the treasure towards the stairs and the doors leading to the fortress. Her footsteps echoed down the halls as she quickly raced to the front gates, and was out of breath as she reached the doors, broken and abandoned in the debris. She hung back in the shadows, encase there were any predators or hunters or any kind of intruder lurking just outside. But when she neither heard nor saw any, she deemed it safe, and stepped out.

The spring air was warmer but not so much, and she quickly felt her arms prickle with the absence of the warmth generated from the dragon's lair. But she ignored it, the longing in the pit of her stomach refused to be quietened as she stepped out into the open, though still within range of the gates, and looked up at the stars.

There they were, just as in the dream, sparkling and shining like millions of diamonds sowed into the black velvet that was the sky. She watched them, as if for the first time, a sense of awe encompassing her as she watched them twinkle like candles, or the eyes of gods both known and unknown that smiled down upon the mortal world sleeping below.

Kathryn smiled as she closed her eyes, basking in the starlight, breathing in the fresh air around her and letting it fill her lungs. And with her eyes closed she could imagine herself back in the dream, watching the sky with new eyes, feeling the world in a new body… feeling the power in her muscles, the freedom of her wings, and the release in her soul. It had been _heavenly_ to say the least. Her fear at her new form in the dream had been quite a shock, which had quickly given way to curiosity and then to joy as she had played around in her new body, testing it. And then Smaug had taught her how to fly, and then… they had _played_. She was still mystified at the change in him: not seven months ago he despised her and was in every aspect a tyrant. Back then, never would she have ever thought he could become so… playful? Indeed, when their little chase had ended, the way he had caught her… she had laughed as she knew he had been trying to make her feel smaller, more like the weaker prey and he the all superior hunter. He would have bitten her to prove the point she knew, but had restrained himself; perhaps he thought her too delicate, even in dreams and in another form. But Kathryn smiled, she was in no state of mind to pay attention to his dominance games or mind tricks, she had just taken the moment for all the fun it had been.

Staring up at the stars, Kathryn sighed as she took in the beauty of the night.

She wasn't even aware he was there until he breathed upon her, causing her to squeal in surprise and spun around to face him, finding the end of his snout was only inches from her, his massive nostrils flaring as he took in her scent. His fiery eyes were so bright in the darkness they positively glowed.

He said nothing, but raised an eye-ridge at her suspiciously.

"I wasn't running!" she said quickly, realising what he must be thinking. "I was just –"

He cut her off with a snort, covering her with his warm yet stinking breath. Without a word, he simply lay his gigantic bulk upon the cold ground, leaning against one of the statues on either side of the entrance. With one hand he plucked her from the ground, and she clung to his fingers as she sat still and allowed him to put her on the ground beside his huge chest in the crook of his arm. Looking up at him cautiously, Kathryn was hesitant as she sat down with her back against his chest; being with him in dreams and simply being comfortable in each other's company was one thing, but for him to be so forward with her like this…

Seeing she was comfortable, Smaug lay his head down, so that she had his chest at her back, the base of his neck on her right side and his foreleg on her left and front. The cold was quickly banished from her, and Kathryn relaxed against that iron-like scales, enjoying the warmth, the feel of his strong heartbeat beneath her.

They say there in silence, both of them watching the stars that twinkled above them.

Dawn was not far off when Smaug finally moved, unwrapping himself from around the human woman who had just begun to doze. With his sudden movement she was instantly awoken, and sleepily followed him as he walked back into the mountain.

Kathryn merely allowed her feet to carry her back into the treasure chamber, her movements sluggish to the point where it felt as if the gold that sunk beneath her weight slightly was like quicksand. She heard a soft "clink" as something heavy hit her foot. Kathryn would have paid it no heed if she didn't hear a soft twinkle in the air like a thousand whispers…

Looking down, Kathryn saw a gem beside her foot, one that seemed to shine brighter than any other she had ever seen. Curious, Kathryn stooped down to pick it up, and held this large stone that fit in order to fill her hand almost perfectly.

It was beautiful… Kathryn was left mesmerised as she gazed upon the large gem that seemed to shine of its own inner light, cut and shaped so that it was perfectly round and smooth as silk to the touch. As Kathryn moved it into a shaft of light that filtered into the cavern from the outside world, her mouth hung open slightly in awe as the gem took all light that fell upon it and changed it into ten thousand sparks of white radiance shot with glints of the rainbow.

Kathryn didn't need to ask what this was, the tales and songs of such a priceless jewel were spread far and wide, and they were all put to shame by seeing this in person! It was the Arkenstone… The King's Jewel… The Heart of the Mountain… She knew exactly how many races coveted this particular stone, and she couldn't blame them as she stared at it now.

Smiling to herself, Kathryn closed her eyes as she allowed the light of the Arkenstone to shine upon her face, revelling in the fantasy that played out in her mind. Her walking into the greatest halls of Gondor, the Arkenstone in a necklace of gold and silver draped around her neck; those pompous Lords would be falling and tripping over themselves in an effort to win her affections. She would have suitors on every side, treasures laid at her feet, they would worship the ground she walked on, no longer would she be a "witch" or a "freak"…

She would be like a Queen…

Kathryn breathed in deeply, her eyes shining with the thought… to be welcomed by society, to be a part of the normal world… all because of one extraordinary jewel. Clutching it tightly to her chest as if it were her own babe, Kathryn suddenly wanted to be far away… perhaps she could sneak away when Smaug next went hunting. Yes! She could hide the Arkenstone in her sleeping place until then, close by her side, she could then escape and by the time Smaug returned –

Suddenly, a thunderous roar filled the cavern, so loud Kathryn thought her ears would burst! She was suddenly pulled from her thoughts to see Smaug staring at her, eyes fixed upon the jewel she pressed against her skin possessively. His eyes were wide with outrage and… something else she couldn't identify…

Before she could make out what he was thinking, Smaug gave another roar as he dove towards her. Kathryn screamed, her piercing shriek cutting through the air like a blade, and she scrambled back, trying to get out of the massive creature's way, dropping the Arkenstone as she tried to save herself from the monster that had suddenly turned on her –

But then Smaug's attention was diverted from her, his slit pupils followed the Arkenstone as it tumbled down the horde. With a snarl he turned away from Kathryn and bounded after the precious gem. Kathryn watched in equal parts confusion, horror and disbelief as Smaug's huge body slithered over the heaps of gold and treasure, until he found the spot where the Arkenstone had settled.

With his huge hands, using his meat-hook claws like spades, he dug a huge hole into the mountain of gold, digging deep and quickly as the gold continuously shuffled and slid to try and undo his work. With a flick of his tail, Smaug sent the Arkenstone into the pit of the new hole and then quickly covered it back up with the tons of gold. Suddenly, he then dived into the gold, dipping his body into the treasure and then resurfacing like a Sea-Serpent, his back and wings still submerged whilst his long neck, head and tail stuck out. Opening his wings, Smaug then spun around, stirring the contents of his horde as he did a huge death-roll, snarling and growling ferociously as he did so.

When he was finished, he climbed out of the gold once again, his sides heaving with barely controlled emotion and from the sudden exertion. But he then fixed his gaze upon the human woman, and Kathryn saw… anxiety in his eyes.

"What are you doing?!" Kathryn demanded in a furious tone.

"You found the Arkenstone," Smaug growled, his eyes narrowing at her as if she were a threat as he slowly began to circle her, teeth bared and claws at the ready.

"Yes… but… why Smaug?!" She continued on as if she were oblivious to his obviously threatening pose. "Are you that greedy and selfish that I'm not even allowed to touch one –?!"

"Snap out of this!" he snarled, eyes blazing as he stared at her with equal parts fury and concern.

When her mood didn't change straight away, Smaug roared as he suddenly snatched her into his talons and gave her a hard squeeze as he brought her dangerously close to his face, his lips quivering to reveal his teeth.

And suddenly Kathryn felt rational thought return to her mind. She blinked as if she were awakening from a dream, her breathing becoming heavy as she looked at Smaug as if she didn't exactly understand what he was doing or how they came to be in the current situation. Seeing the change in her, Smaug gave an audible sigh of relief before gently putting her back down to the ground.

"Oh Valar…" she groaned, holding a hand to her head as she felt a headache begin to pound into her skull. "I don't know what came over me…"

"You found the Arkenstone and human greed got the better of you," he spat icily.

"Smaug… I'm sorry. I don't know what happened. But why did you –?"

"I will not have it corrupt your heart and poison your mind!" he hissed, before fixing her with his glaring golden eyes. "Promise me that you will never again seek it out. Swear to me that you will never try to find the Arkenstone!"

Kathryn looked at the place where the Jewel in question had fallen. Smaug had hidden it from her well; even if she went digging in the place where he had buried it he had stirred the treasure so well that she would never find it. It would take her perhaps a hundred years to go through the treasure piece by piece until she found it.

"Give me your word!" Smaug hissed savagely again, pulling Katrhyn from her thoughts so that she looked up into those fiery eyes that were bright with apprehension.

"I promise," she murmured softly.

* * *

Kathryn lay sleeping one late spring afternoon, Smaug was out earlier then usual for his hunt as he wished to catch something truly big enough to gorge himself on before he would find her something to eat. He had told her that he wouldn't be back until late in the evening, and so Kathryn decided to sleep so that she would be wide awake for when Smaug returned. Lately they had been in deep discussions after dinner, and would talk for hours until Kathryn was too tired to continue, and then would sing before they would fall asleep and dream together.

So now she wanted to catch some sleep, something in her wanting to be able to extend this limited time that she had with such a fascinating creature; one that she doubted even a select few in Middle-Earth had ever had the privilege to experience.

And so she slept, and dreamed:

_Kathryn stood by a balcony overlooking a great mountain range, the lights of a hundred houses in the city below her glinting like the reflection of the stars above. She gave a contented sigh, breathing in the air of freedom as she did so… and leaned her back against the sculpted chest behind her. Muscular arms came and encircled her, and Kathryn felt warm breath in her hair, the presence seeming to surround her as it held her tightly in its embrace. She felt the hands slide over her arms and then down to clasp around by her stomach, fingertips grazing her naval and Kathryn's breath hitched in her throat as she felt her body tingle from something she had never felt before. It terrified her of its sudden intensity, like a wildfire racing through her body, but it also excited her. She decided to play along with whatever was happening… a guilty pleasure couldn't hurt, could it? She leaned her head back, closing her eyes as she felt burning hot lips against the side of her neck, and felt surprisingly sharp teeth graze across her throat, growling at the offering she held for him. Kathryn grinned, the excitement growing in her as she began to get comfortable with this dream… she could not feel another presence in her mind so thought it safe to simply __**indulge**__ herself. She turned to face her dream-man, her hand reaching up his chest to stroke his strong jaw –_

_And beheld the face of the Human-Smaug_

_Kathryn hissed a breath as her heart launched itself into her throat, and she physically jumped out of her partner's arms until she pressed herself against the edge of the balcony in an attempt to be as far away from him as possible. _

_What had she done? Was this another trick? Or was it some cursed sick dream she was playing out? She searched her mind but could not find another presence; Smaug was not in her head, she was alone. So if this wasn't him… who was it? _

_"What's wrong?" the Human-Smaug asked her, his fiery eyes alight with hunger as he stared at her. Kathryn paled, and quickly turned her back on him, facing out onto the city below as she braced her arms against the balcony. _

_Dear Valar! What was this?! This was just a dream, it wasn't Smaug here, just a shell with his image. For some reason she didn't know if that was better… or worse that her mind had come up with the image. She leaned over the balcony, trying to regain her breathing as she attempted to calm her racing heart. But suddenly, she felt the presence right behind her once again, and she froze as she waited to see what the dream would do. She felt the Human-Smaug curl his arms around her, pulling her back against his chest and clasping her hands in his with a gentle but firm grip. Kathryn felt her skin become alive at his touch, and despite her terror and confusion at what was happening, she felt the tingling feeling in her body again, as she was very much aware of how she was pressed up against his body. His mouth hovered by her ear, his breath tickling her hair, his voice seeming to be almost in her mind. _

_"Tell me what's wrong," he whispered in a hoarse growl. He tried to turn her to face him, but she rooted her feet in place, refusing to look at him. "Do not be afraid of me,"_

_"I'm not," she choked out._

_"I know," he murmured and released one of her hands as he brushed back her hair, and she suddenly felt his face against the skin of her neck, his nose buried in her hair. And she heard him inhale her as he smelled her scent. His chest practically vibrated with a rumbling growl. "I can smell your desire," he growled at her, snapping his teeth by her ear. But he let the sentence hang. He was making it perfectly clear that he wanted this (whatever this was, she reminded herself), but should she want to then everything would stop._

_But Kathryn felt a part of her ache as she realised that she didn't want it to stop. _

_Her body loosened slightly, though she was still a little nervous, her mind going completely blank with shock as the dream unfolded. She heard him chuckle, something deep and dark in his chest that made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. _

_"Come now, don't be shy…" his voice teased her, called to her, beckoned her as he slid his arms back into place as he surrounded her once again. "Step into the light…"_

_And as he turned her to face him again, she gave away completely, allowing herself to succumb to her dream and into her body. He spun her around and pressed her against him, bringing her into the light of the bedroom behind him, wrapping his arms around her as he drew her in, and crushed his lips onto hers. _

_Kathryn felt light headed as she felt all of her breath was taken from her in that one kiss, his lips demanding her, begging her… wanting her… And Kathryn moaned as she felt something give way inside her, allowing a torrent of emotion to hit her like a tidal wave. It was so much so quickly that she was unable to comprehend most of it!_

_She wanted this. She knew it in her bones, in the way that her skin felt like it was burning from his touch, the way that she felt herself become a pool, completely void of rational thought and only subject to the needs of her body. She pulled him closer to her, pressing herself against him as she felt his hands bury themselves in her hair, balling his fists around her red locks. Kathryn moaned, her mouth opening slightly, and he took it as a full invitation, pushing his tongue deeper into her mouth so that she could taste the bitter-sweetness of him! _

_Breaking off the kiss in order to catch her breath, Kathryn looked back into Smaug's gaze with dreamy eyes, a small smile curving her lips as she –_

_Her eyes snapped wide open as the Dragon Smaug stood loomed over her, his eyes blazing with maddening fury… with a roar that made Kathryn's ears hurt and threaten to burst from the intensity, the dragon snatched her into his claws and held her before him, and she looked into his eyes that screamed of anger, longing, madness and paranoia._

_"I will not part with a **single coin**!" he hissed at her furiously. "Least of all you!" _

_Kathryn screamed as she saw the dragon's maw open impossibly wide, a dreadful scream erupting from him, so loud Kathryn actually cried out in pain as she covered her ears from the terrible sound._

_And then she felt her world shift, as she was suddenly thrown into a dark, empty space, with the Human-Smaug standing before her, screaming in utter agony as he was crippled over in pain clutching at his chest in one hand, blood dripping through his fingers from a gaping hole in his left breast. The other hand was reaching for her, his eyes pleading with pain and sorrow. She almost hesitated as she thought of what he had just done, but unable to see him brought so low, Kathryn ran for him, desperate to see if she could –_

_Kathryn screamed as she suddenly fell, and felt herself plunge into deep water; the inky blackness seemed to surround her and press down upon her as it pushed her into the depths. She struggled and kicked but she only seemed to sink further, her lungs burning for air, wanting to scream as she felt panic set in as her heart began to falter._

_Darkness began to close into the edges of her vision, and the world slowly became silent and void as she d –_

* * *

Kathryn sat bolt upright in her bed, her body damp with sweat as she shook, gasping for the air that her lungs burned for. She coughed, her hands grasping out on either side of her until she felt the reassuring presence of the solid world around her. It took her several long minuets in order to restore order to her panicked body, calming her heart as her blood still raced in her veins, slowing her breathing, and easing her death grip on her bedding.

She slowly relaxed, rubbing her face in an attempt to awaken her body that still felt heavy and lethargic. Breathing deeply through her nose, Kathryn tried to bring in cool air to her head, her thoughts still spinning as what happened in the dream still resonated in her mind.

Had she really dreamt that she had kissed Smaug? And did she… did she want _more?_ Her stomach did a little flip as she realised what she had done. How could she be so ridiculous?! She was suddenly thankful that Smaug was still out; if he knew what had happened in her head… if he had seen… she shuddered at the thought, unable to even think what he would do.

Kathryn wanted to shake her head, and just pretend that she was ill: something must be wrong with her mind! But despite this, she couldn't stop herself from remembering being in those arms, those lips on hers, and _wanting_ that. She felt her body quiver with excitement just from remembering, making her blush furiously. And then she had to ask herself: did she really want that?

She shook her head, something inside her sinking as she told herself that even if she did, it wouldn't matter. These feelings (if that was what they were) were unrequited. Smaug was disgusted by humans; he thought them inferior to him, weaker, dumb, filthy, putrid and foul. In fact, he thought that of all mortal races. He would have been totally furious and been utterly repulsed if he had known what she had dreamt. No, she thought, if Smaug could ever feel anything like that (other than for his treasure and himself) then it would be one from his own species.

But then Kathryn had to pause, for her mind wouldn't cease its rapid thoughts. She remembered when she had dreamt of herself as a Dragon, the way Smaug had treated her, the playfulness, the chase… she suddenly felt a shiver run down her spine as the thought came to her head that perhaps there had been more to that chase then she had first realised. When he had caught her… the look in his eyes… the way their bodies… Kathryn felt herself blush all the way down her neck as she thought of what it must have been. Had Smaug truly…

She cut that thought off quickly. It couldn't have been, she reminded herself stiffly. Even if it had, Smaug clearly didn't want it because he broke off and seemed rather angry – she had thought at the time because he was disappointed with her skill, but now she couldn't help but wonder if it was through something else.

Could this possibly be… Kathryn was utterly dumbstruck as she tried to puzzle through what had happened. How had everything come to this?

Suddenly, she heard Smaug return as he stomped his way back into the Lonely Mountain, and as he entered the chamber, his immediately found Kathryn. His golden eyes locked onto her, and Kathryn felt a now familiar twist on her innards as she met those fiery eyes. She tried to beat down the voices that kept whispering to her, reminding her of those same eyes in her dream.

Smaug made his way over to her, and offered her a sheep. His eyes watched her almost cautiously, scrutinising, noting the redness in her cheeks and neck, his nostrils flaring as he suddenly caught a scent. Kathryn prayed that he did not figure out what had happened, or came to the wrong conclusion, or worse asked her what happened. She would lie to him, but her churning thoughts would not make her a good liar – not to mention he always knew when she was lying.

But he merely watched her, saying nothing, to which Kathryn was grateful to every Valar she could name. She tried to focus her mind on cutting the wool from the sheep – hoping to make a new cushion or perhaps a fleece or jumper with it – before quickly cutting off her meat for dinner.

And so their evening continued as normally as it would any other night. Even if Kathryn was desperately trying to stop her scandalous thoughts as they raced around in her mind. It didn't help that she could tell that Smaug was casting sidelong glances at her, which she tried her best to ignore and pretend that she didn't notice.

Her entire being was a great mass of confusion, and the one thing that she was sure of at the centre of it all, was that Smaug made her feel **_something_**. She didn't exactly know what or how, but she knew it was something. She felt more alive in his presence, she was more carefree, she was more herself. With him she had been able to find out who she actually was, and not just a runaway girl or a cursed seer. With him, she knew her place in the world, she had a home, a refuge, even a companion she would venture to say.

So whatever this was, she decided to keep it a secret for now, at least until she could fully understand what this was.

Thankfully, when she and Smaug finally went to sleep, she had no dreams.

* * *

**A/N: Please don't hurt me! I seriously didn't mean to give you guys TWO teases in one chapter, but the first was completely unexpected - Smaug went completely off track from my original plan, so that was HIS doing! And the second was for plot and Character development. Plus, some people have been asking so I thought I would indulge... slightly, teeheehee ;)**

**Please Review! Tell me what you thought, what you liked, do you want more of some things from the chapter or others? And I'm curious: How do you think Smaug and Kathryn work so far? Since they've met, they've come a long way, and I honestly want your opinion on if they work well together and how, and also I want to know where you think they'll go. If people really want to see something from this, then please: SAY! **

**Okay guys, this will be the last chapter I'll squeeze out before Christmas - That doesn't mean this is the last chapter, still have PLENTY more to come, just that I probably will only get brief writing time between now and Christmas and then New Year. But don't worry, I won't be able to keep off of this for long so expect something VERY SOON in the beginning of January. (knowing me that will mean like straight after New Year's Day, LOL)**

**So I hope you guys have a very Merry Christmas and a fantastic New Year's Celebrations! :)**

**All my love to you wonderful, lovely, readers!**

**x**


	12. Chapter 12 - A Sickness of the Mind

**Author's Note: Hi! So, looks like I really couldn't keep my hands off of this! lol ;) So I hope that people get a chance to read this so close to Christmas, but as I managed to get this out so quickly, that means that I have more time between Christmas and New Year in order to write up the next chapter for after New Year! :D**

**And can I just say a very big thank you to all the guests and people that I can't reply back to reviews. As I can't PM you, I just want to shout out a huge thank you to all of you, I love you guys so much - just can't email you to say it. lol**

**This chapter is for Enosimania ;)**

* * *

Chapter 12 – A Sickness of the Mind

"A poison of the soul, passion's cruel counterpart; from love she grows, till love lies slain. Of what do I speak? – Jealousy"

* * *

Smaug stood by the gates of Erebor, his brilliant eyes scanning the area around him, his nostrils flaring as he tried to pick up a scent, though the wind wasn't in his favour. The sun was just rising, ready for the start of a new day as life in the distance began to awaken. Smaug growled with distaste, spring was beginning to bleed into summer already, perhaps a little earlier than usual.

He looked towards the south at the great lake with that wretched, disgusting, miserable Lake-Town floating above the water. His lip curled at the thought of those humans, sitting idly by just beyond the border of his territory, and he glared at it as if daring one of the inhabitants to appear before him now in the foul mood he was in.

He had awoken from slumber a few hours ago, and had done something he had not needed to do in over three quarters of a century: He had patrolled his borders. Flying on silent wings, with the cover of night to conceal him, and his superior night vision to allow him to see anything skulking about below him, he had sought to find an intruder. But had found nothing. There was nothing to suggest that anyone was here where they were not supposed to be. He had only found old scents of wanderers from weeks ago.

But something had set him on edge, for now he paced back and forth in front of the main gates, glaring at the space around him, a growl forming in his throat from his impatience. Impatience for his intruder to reveal themselves, he wanted to catch them sneaking into his mountain, to his horde, he wanted this little impostor dead!

Several days ago, when he had returned from a long hunt where he had gorged on a Mumakil; its herd had wondered far from Rhun to the western borders of the Iron Hills. It had been a fantastic battle, Smaug remembered smugly, but ultimately the beast's dim wits and lumbering gait was its downfall. That, and Smaug couldn't afford to be apart from his lair for too long, a deep paranoid suspicion lurking in him that whispered of thieves coming to the mountain in order to take his precious treasures. Especially now that he had Kathryn there wondering about, where she could be snatched – not that her would-be thieves would live long enough to get far away with her. So he had finished the creature quickly, a short burst of his fire to maim the Mumakil before landing on it from above, his weight crushing the chest cavity into a pulpy mess, a snap of his jaws to the neck finished the job.

But once he had finished eating, and had stolen a sheep from a nearby flock, he had returned to his mountain and felt that something was amiss. When he arrived in the great chamber that held his treasure, he saw that his human seemed a little flustered, out of breath, and noticed a brilliant blush to her skin. He saw the way she looked at him, guiltily and nervously, and when he scented the air, he could almost taste her arousal, the scent was that strong.

He had been confused to say the least… and a little on edge. He had continued to watch Kathryn as she went about her business as normal and tried very hard to pretend that everything was as it should be.

The fact that she was trying so hard made him all the more suspicious.

Over the next few days, she had been avoiding him. She would simply sit in silence, she wasn't as talkative as before, not as inquisitive, she wouldn't actively look to start a conversation. Usually Smaug just wanted some peace, but the absence of her chatter was enough to rouse his suspicions and grow on his nerves. She was also very restless, constantly pacing, impatient, aggravated at seemingly little things.

And lately, he was noticing the scent of her… _sexuality_… a lot. Whenever he returned from a hunt, or when she returned from exploring Erebor, or he was too fast asleep to connect to her mind, whenever he came back to her presence, her scent was almost _intoxicating_. It was always fresh, and would quickly fade in intensity although he could still smell the after-effects for at least an hour after. It was as if she just finished before he came around. The fact that it always seemed to happen outside of his presence only confirmed his suspicions.

There was an intruder in his mountain.

To Smaug, the answer was obvious, a little _thief_ had stolen into the mountain and swayed the heart of the pretty woman inside. He watched for when Smaug would leave and would sneak inside and have his way with Kathryn, leaving when she warned him of the dragon's return.

Smaug was practically simmering with fury at the thought of a man's _filthy_ little hands running over the body of his human! The fact that this man thought he could sneak in, and **_steal_** from Smaug was just adding insult!

No one would touch what was _his_! He growled savagely to himself, gnashing his teeth with the promise of death. That was why he had been patrolling, and that was why he now stood guard, to catch this little trespasser and be rid of him once and for all!

As the dawn gave way to morning, the sun cleared its climb over the Iron Hills in the east, bathing the desolate landscape around the mountain with its warm glow. Smaug hissed softly as he turned back towards the Mountain behind him, conceding to the fact that the culprit was not going to show himself today. Kathryn would awaken soon, and he didn't want to leave her alone for too long if he could help it with the current situation.

Making his way inside, Smaug breathed heavily as he tried to rid himself of this dark mood. It would be unwise to give his enemy the clue that Smaug knew of his existence, therefore giving him the time to escape from his vengeful grasp. No, the trick was to wait patiently, sooner or later he would catch him, even if he had to stay in the mountain for days until his opponent's will finally broke.

He entered the treasure chamber, making his way to the centre where he found Kathryn sitting amongst the treasures, reading an old, battered book.

Kathryn looked up at him briefly, her curly, ruby red locks moving aside as she moved to reveal her purple eyes. She couldn't keep eye contact with him for more then a few seconds, and he saw her throat move as she swallowed heavily, heard her heartbeat flutter slightly, a blush rising to her cheeks, he could smell –

Smaug froze as that familiar scent caught his attention, the scent of human arousal and the sweat from exertion.

But how?! He had only been gone a short while, no one had seen him leave, no one had been outside when he had left, nor when he returned; the scents in the territory had all been old –

_Of course…_ Smaug thought as realisation dawned on him, and with it an uncontrollable rage, and the desire to _Kill_!

The thief had been hiding in the Mountain all along.

The Dragon barely had enough time to take a breath before a scream of hatred and fury exploded from his throat.

* * *

Kathryn groaned as she awoke, her body aching as she roused herself from yet another…_ heated_ dream. Over the past few days since the first, she had not been able to keep herself out of these dreams; at first she thought it to be a phase and would pass. But as the dreams began to get more… _elaborate, _she tried to simply deny them. That clearly wasn't working. Thankfully, none of these dreams happened when Smaug was connected to her mind – or when he was in the vicinity thank Valar for that.

The dreams were always the same: she and Smaug in his human form (one time they had both been dragons again), and Kathryn always seemed to be dropped into the moment when she and…_him_…would be about to enact on some… she couldn't even think of it without blushing as red as Smaug's scales. And always when she awoke, she would still feel exhausted, as if she never actually got any sleep, meaning that she was tired enough to doze off whenever she had a moment to herself. But this only led to more dreams and more tiredness which led to dreams again and it just went on in a never ending cycle.

By this point, Kathryn was on the verge of hysteria from lack of decent sleep, stress from the dreams, and constant nerves. She had been avoiding Smaug as of late: avoiding all conversations, reducing her input with him to the very minimum in the hopes that it would help with her situation. But more than that, she found that she couldn't look at him without being reminded in some aspect of what would happen in a certain dream, she couldn't hear his voice without imagining it as a soft whisper down her spine… she shivered. Not to mention the fact that lately she was so restless, nothing seemed to satisfy her; she just felt like she was squashed inside a cramp box, and was desperate to break free and be under the sky, feel the wind...

This was getting out of hand. But she couldn't understand it! The only other time she had felt this sexually hyper was when she had first bloomed into womanhood and –

Kathryn felt the spark of an idea form in her mind, one that was a little repulsive, but if it would help drive away these urges she was willing to try anything! What if she could…"_Relieve_" herself? She suspected that his might very well just be sexual frustration; after all, her twentieth Birthday would be here come the time for harvest, and she was still unmarried and not "deflowered" as of yet. Perhaps the years without giving in to her more basic needs were taking their toll, perhaps she just needed to…

Kathryn sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger. Knowing that she couldn't get what her body craved (if that was indeed the answer), for the nearest man lay miles away in Lake-Town. And she had learned her lesson from the first time she had asked permission to leave: Smaug would not let her go.

But perhaps she could give her body the next best thing. Looking around, she saw that Smaug was nowhere to be seen, nor could she see the now familiar way the treasure horde would pile up whenever he buried his massive bulk beneath it. He wasn't here.

Lying flat on her back and closing her eyes quickly so that she wouldn't have second thoughts, Kathryn went through every memory she had of listening to women talk to one another about what a man and woman did together. She dug up every little detail she had ever overheard, from both her childhood years in her little town, to her time travelling on the roads. She pulled together every story, every aspect, trying to bring something forth with her imagination.

She pictured herself in a simple bedroom, lying down on a bed in the same position as in real life, a man standing above her, though she refused to give him a face in her embarrassment for what she was doing. Kathryn pictured herself in little more than her underclothes, and the same for her male partner. Kathryn walked herself through the steps of what was supposed to happen, from beginning to end, simple and over with quickly.

Nothing. Not a stir in her body save for embarrassment and cringing at the thought of what was going through her head at the awkwardness she felt.

Growling to herself in frustration, Kathryn knew she would have to be…_creative_ with this.

She decided to give her mysterious man a face, but even as she thought this, the image of the human Smaug came immediately to mind. She banished it with a growl of frustration. Thinking like _that_ wouldn't help her any time soon! Knowing that it was the image of the human Smaug that had caused all this, she decided to play out this fantasy with the complete opposite.

She pictured a man, his face sharp and thin, his lips soft, his blonde hair the colour of sand and his eyes like the luscious green leaves of the forest. He was of average height and build, not too tall or too muscular, with small hands with a delicate touch, like a painter. He dressed meekly, so that Kathryn was under no illusions that he was poor and loved being so, an air of humility and humbleness about him. _Perfect_.

Kathryn imagined them in a small glade, light streaming in from between the leaves in scattered rays like from a fractured mirror. Birdsong could be heard all around them, and she felt her man take her into his arms, as she laid her head down upon his shoulder, and heard him murmur to her of how much he loved her. Once again they were only in their small-clothes, and she could feel the bare skin of his naked chest, felt every soft line and gentle angle, not sculpted and muscled like a warrior.

She pictured her man gently laying her down upon the ground, blades of grass and wild-flowers peeking through her hair as she laid back. Her man knelt above her, his delicate hands caressing her face as he leaned down to kiss her, softly, gently, as if hesitant that she would pull away.

She kissed him back, locking her fingers behind his neck, pulling him close to her body as he trailed kisses down the line of her jaw and down her throat, pausing in his descent to nibble on her collarbone, suckling her flesh as he took it in between his teeth. Kathryn felt herself sigh as she began to allow herself to submerge into the fantasy as her body began to melt. Her man nipped her, causing her to gasp slightly, earning a chuckle from him. He then continued his kisses, his hands exploring every inch of her, large palms flexing and grouping over each and every curve, fingers stroking every flaw, scar, imperfection and line.

The man settled himself over her, his huge body seeming to dwarf her, but Kathryn welcomed his imposing presence. His hard and chiselled face came back to hers, capturing her mouth, taking every aspect of her into him. Kathryn moaned as she buried her fingers in his short hair, the dark locks that shadowed his eyes brushing her face.

He pressed against her, and Kathryn quivered in anticipation for the moment, her body in the real world aching and quivering with desire. She imagined the moment before the magic would happen, before that special moment when she would join with another, in a way that grown-ups had always told her about, one that she could only share with someone she truly loved.

Right before that moment, the man leaned back so that she could see his face –

And she saw that the human form of Smaug was there. At first she was astounded that he had wormed his way back into her fantasy, and was almost frightened, and was about to banish him and stop the imaginings all together. But then she locked gazes with the man above her, his fiery eyes burning with heat. For her body, for her, and… she welcomed it, the man purring in response. The want in him flattered her, made her feel special, and made her –

Suddenly, Smaug was no longer human, his draconic head was poised above her body, his lips quivering to reveal his teeth as he stared down at her, and Kathryn could see his control slipping as he looked into her eyes. His purr turned into a growl, and Kathryn felt the vibrations run through her entire body, making her shake from the force of it. Smaug opened his mouth, tongue twitching as he tasted the air around them, his eyes burning all the hotter by what he found. He then lunged, his teeth gleaming in the sun as he went for her throat –

Kathryn sat bolt upright from where she lay, drenched in sweat, her body heaving, and she shook her head in an attempt to drive out the images from her mind. Almost whimpering in desperation as she slumped her shoulders. Another failed attempt. Great.

She couldn't keep this up; she knew it as her body wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep, but she denied it. If this went on any longer she would crack: either she would spill everything to Smaug in the hopes that he either knew a way to help, or would allow her to go to Lake-Town for help; and if that didn't happen, then she would go insane.

Rubbing her face, Kathryn heavily got to her feet, and went to pick up her book of tales, and went to sit in the middle of the chamber to wait for Smaug to return.

Not too long after she had settled, she heard the familiar giant footsteps and Smaug returned from wherever it was that he had gone. He entered the treasure chamber, making his way in until he saw her, eyes locked on to her body as she sat amongst his horde.

Kathryn looked up at him briefly, peeking out from in between her curly, ruby red locks. She couldn't keep eye contact with him for more than a few seconds, and had to swallow heavily as the moment she saw his face she was reminded of the fantasy she had just played out, her heart fluttering like a bird's wings, a blush rising to her cheeks as she couldn't stop the mental images that assaulted her mind as she turned away from those fiery eyes.

But she saw Smaug freeze suddenly, his nostrils flaring as he scented the air, his whole body rigid as his eyes blazed with outrage. Kathryn looked back up at him, her worries from a moment ago completely forgotten in the face of his distress. She wondered what –

Smaug had barely taken a breath before he roared so loud that the cavern shook, loose rocks falling all around, and Kathryn flinched as she heard all of his hatred and fury explode from his throat.

The dragon lunged for her, and Kathryn screamed, making to scramble away out of his path, but he was too fast and she felt his talons close around her as he snatched her from the ground into his grasp. With a whirl, the dragon was little more than a blur as he coiled his snake-like body around the woman, holding her in his fist as he clutched her possessively to his chest. Kathryn was literally surrounded by a wall of scales, only able to see Smaug unfurl his wings and hold them out, making himself appear almost three times bigger than his normal size. She could see his head as he looked about, his eyes narrowing as he snapped his attention this way and that, turning to look for an invisible enemy.

"Well?!" He bellowed angrily, Kathryn could feel the force of the emotion in his voice from his body all around her. "Where are you, little _Sneak_?!"

"Smaug!" Kathryn managed to squeak out. "What are you –?" but she was cut off, as she felt Smaug flex his fingers, involuntarily squeezing her tighter and cutting off a little of her breathing room.

"Come now!" the dragon called to the shadows, his eyes scanning for the slightest sign of movement. "You were so willing to get to her before! Now you skulk in the shadows like a _coward_!"

"Smaug, what –?" Kathryn wheezed with the little breath she had, fear beginning to creep into her heart with building pressure as she saw the gleam of unquenchable rage in the dragon's eye. She was cut off as the dragon snapped his head to face her with one glowing eye, and she flinched away from his hateful gaze.

"I know of your little visitor!" he spat. "I could smell it every time! And now, when I find him… you can watch him _die_ for this insult!"

"What?!" she squawked in disbelief, mouth hanging open in shock.

"Thief!" Smaug roared as he turned back to the huge cavern. "You wish to steal from me?! Or did she mean so little that in possession of such a beast she is worth _nothing_ to you in the long run? Did you mean to steal something else? The gold perhaps? Was she a bonus you did not anticipate? As if she was _yours_ to take!?"

"There is no –!" Kathryn tried to say to her captor, but once again was cut off as he twitched his fingers around her, cutting off her air supply further, though he did not seem to notice. Panic began to engulf her, and she was soon drowning in her terror as she looked wide eyed up at the creature whom she thought she knew; but she had never seen this side of him before, and it frightened her down to her core.

"Did you think you could deceive _ME!_?!"Smaug ignored her, continuing to talk to nothing. "Did you think I would not notice?! I have indulged this little game of yours, but no longer! Now I will find you, and I will END you!"

"Smaug!"

"I will not let you take what is **_MINE_**! I will burn you and that pathetic, miserable Lake-Town until it is naught but ash and –!"

"ENOUGH!" Kathryn screamed. She felt her body fill with an energy that made her very bones shake and threaten to break apart with the power and intensity. As she screamed, her fear and anger spiked to such degree, that she felt everything inside her explode outwards in a huge shock-wave.

It wasn't strong enough to hurt Smaug, but it had enough force to break his hold on her, and actually physically _pushed_ him! He hissed as he was forced to uncurl from around her, and Kathryn fell heavily to the ground. She shook herself and quickly jumped up, although she was slightly woozy suddenly, as if all of the energy in her body had been taken from her in one breath.

She ran for a staircase that led upwards towards the many different halls, and she wasn't even halfway up to the next level when she heard a thunderous roar behind her.

"KATHRYN!" Smaug bellowed and Kathryn felt her energy come back to her with renewed vigour, and felt the subtle power fill her as her fear built within her with every step. She heard the boom of his footsteps as he leapt across the distance, smashing into the bottom of the stairway as he locked his talons around stone beams and columns as he began to climb his way up towards her. Kathryn scrambled the rest of the way up, taking the first exit she saw as she ducked out of sight.

She came to a bridge that led up into another part of the Dwarf Kingdom, perhaps the living estates. Looking out at the length of the bridge, Kathryn felt uneasy at the large area around it. It seemed too open, she would be easily spotted, even if she was quick. But what else could she do?

Deciding that she had no choice, Kathryn ran across the walkway, her feet pounding onto the stone, and she wished she could be quieter, but decided to go for speed over stealth. Oddly, the fact that she couldn't hear anything was more unsettling to her then the roars and screams from earlier.

Smaug's huge head suddenly reared up from below, making her scream as she stumbled away from him as he came up right next to her, his massive head leering over her as he cast his shadow over her tiny form.

"Do not run from me Kathryn," he warned her. His eyes blazing in the dim light as he crept closer, and Kathryn subtly saw one clawed hand reach up to brace his weight against a flying buttress that supported another –

Kathryn shot her hand out, the power rippling down her arm, and empowered by her fear, it struck the stonework, shattering a part of it away and crumbling so that Smaug was holding up his bodyweight on nothing but air.

Smaug hissed in surprise as his body lurched towards the ground, and he had to grab onto the tower in order to keep himself from falling. Kathryn had not meant to endanger him, and it had worked, for the dragon was entirely focused on keeping himself up that he didn't notice her as she scrambled to her feet and ran.

Kathryn took the distraction and ran ahead, though stumbling as she felt a wave of dizziness overtake her. She shook her head and forced herself to carry on, though her body felt utterly drained by the second burst of power. She couldn't afford to do that any more unless she wanted to fall unconscious next time, her practises having never gotten this far yet. As she passed through the archway at the other end of the bridge, she felt a sigh of relief escape her as the shadow of a stone roof fell over her.

She ran through what appeared to be a district of houses, going down streets and through alleyways, having unsettling flashbacks of when Smaug had chased her through the ruined City of Dale. She heard him roar and break through the stone as he climbed over the district, following her every move as he kept up by simply stepping over buildings, the stonework crumbling under his immense weight.

But Kathryn had learned her lesson from last time, and kept to whatever passageways leant her cover, whilst her eyes scanned ahead for a way out. She soon found one: a small opening, an archway in the thick wall that looked as if it lead out towards another sector of the common-district. Racing towards it, Kathryn quickly ducked under the arch and towards another bridge –

And came to a dead end: a small ledge hanging over a huge pit in front of her, one that was so deep she couldn't see the bottom, only darkness. Kathryn felt her stomach drop and she gulped loudly, remembering how she had fallen through the clouds in her dream – her absolute terror of death, of being smashed into a thousand pieces like glass when she hit the ground. But this time, she couldn't will herself to grow wings, she would fall and this time she would die.

Turning from the ledge, Kathryn went to turn back, but was faced with Smaug's blazing eye on the other side of the archway, where he had lowered his head in order to see her.

"_Kathryn_," he almost purred to her, trying to lure her back towards him with his silk-like voice. "Come to me." When she did not move and only stared at him, he growled at her. "Kathryn, step through the Archway or I'll break it down and _get_ you. You cannot hide from me… you or your little _friend_!"

"There is no "_little friend_" Smaug!" Kathryn snapped at him.

"Do not lie to me!" he hissed.

"I'm not lying!" she screeched defiantly at him. "You think I'm hiding someone in here? That I have a secret lover stashed away?" she scoffed. "If the very idea wasn't hilariously ludicrous I would be insulted!"

"Do you think I'm a fool?!" he snarled, snapping his jaws together threateningly.

"No, not a fool; just jumping to conclusions," she muttered under her breath.

"That is _dangerously_ close to insulting me, Kathryn," the dragon growled a warning as smoke curled up from his nostrils.

"But you're insulting _me_ with this accusation! Do you honestly think I would give my body up to the first man who walked through the door like some common whore?!" She couldn't help but feel the sting in her gut and ruthlessly beat back the tears that threatened at the corners of her eyes.

"I could smell your desire; I could feel your heat! There is no other obvious conclusion,"

Kathryn felt her stomach twist and fought against the blush that threatened to turn her as bright as a cherry as she remembered the same words from the dream, suddenly feeling highly embarrassed and awkward.

"But it matters not," the dragon muttered, bringing her back from her own thoughts. "You belong to me, you are mine to do with as I please, and I will kill all who try to alter that fact!"

"Including me?" she challenged.

"Killing you would defeat the whole purpose of this, now wouldn't it? No, it's **_him_** I'm after!" The Dragon's eyes blazed as he cast his gaze around him, as if the said man was hiding somewhere close by.

"Smaug, please!" Kathryn stressed. "Listen to me! You could smell me, but could you smell anyone else? There was no other scent was there? There was no other indication that anyone else had been here. Even if he was hiding in the mountain, surely you would have smelled him _on me_?"

Smaug's eyes only narrowed down at her suspiciously, seething, giving no answer.

"And what's more," Kathryn hurried on, pushing to drive her point home before he could jump to conclusions again. "Do you think that if a man were to come here, that he would _stay?_ Would it not be much more likely that he would attempt to take me and whatever else he had come to steal? He would leave and take me with him, he would not stay here and constantly put himself in danger needlessly. No sane man would,"

"You have stayed," the dragon pointed out the only flaw in her logic.

"Because I choose to stay…" she crept forward, one small step in front of the other, her heart racing as she gazed into those beautiful golden-fire eyes. She then took a small pause, hesitating as she dared to add: "Because I _want_ to…"

The dragon blinked, the only indication to his surprise. Kathryn came under the archway, reaching forward with a hesitant hand towards him. Smaug leaned away from her touch, disappearing from her view; Kathryn would have felt the sting of rejection, had a huge clawed hand not squeezed into the Archway, the long talons curling around her body as he pulled her through the rest of the way. Kathryn clung to those fingers, not struggling in his grasp as she was lifted until she was right in front of the dragon's face.

"Give me your word," he murmured darkly.

"I give you my word Smaug," Kathryn murmured softly. "There is no one else,"

* * *

Over the next few days, Smaug watched Kathryn; he couldn't keep his attention off of her for more than a few minutes as a time. A part of him wanted to say that he was still deducting whether or not she was telling the truth about her little "visitor". Yet Smaug did not pay attention to that small voice of doubt; Kathryn had given him very logical, very ethical reasons as to why Smaug had not caught an intruder and to prove he didn't exist, and he had not detected any sign of deceit from her at all. But what was more important, was the fact that she had given him her word that there was no other man, and to Smaug, that was the greatest assurance he could have.

No, he watched her mainly because he was judging her reaction to his behaviour. As she had stated, Smaug had jumped to conclusions with only suspicions, and he was rather disgusted by the fact that a human had managed to prove him wrong on such a thing. But his rage and uncontrollable desire to kill had taken over him so completely, he was… nervous of Kathryn's reaction to that. Would she hate him? Would she be frightened of him?

Even he was concerned by the sheer magnitude of which his jealousy had seized him. Smaug knew that he was many things, but (as with a lot of emotions, Kathryn was making him realise) he had never had to deal with jealousy before. He knew of envy and of greed, for those had definitely been on his mind when he had heard tales of the great wealth of Erebor; and then he had felt the utter determination in order to claim it. But jealousy? No. That was new.

It had overridden every rational thought, had corrupted his mind until he was blind to everything around him but the focus of which his jealousy had stemmed from. He had almost been driven mad by it, even now, the very thought of someone else taking away his Kathryn… he growled deep in his throat, feeling the heat of fire warm his belly, but he beat it down. The thought of such an event was enough to make his blood boil again, a red haze descend over his vision, and that thirst for death on his tongue.

But not for Kathryn, never for Kathryn! He remembered the shock he had felt when she had asked if he was going to kill her in rage for what she had supposedly done. No, to Smaug the thought of killing her now went against every nerve in his body, making his hackles rise and made him bare his teeth against the threat. If he were to kill her in a jealous rage, then what would have been the point of being jealous in the first place?

He still couldn't understand why he had been jealous. She was his, yes, that part he understood all too well. Yet she was a mortal, and they needed to breed at some point in their short life-spans or else they would be extinct within a generation if they waited as long as dragon-kind did. With dragons, they were sexually mature within the first twenty years of life, but didn't settle for a mate until at least eighty, perhaps a hundred in some cases. Humans became sexually active within their early teenage years, and he had heard of the females being sold off into marriages not long after. Smaug knew it was rational to think that Kathryn may want offspring of her own, in order to preserve her linage; he guessed that she was coming up for her twentieth year, and he had to wonder how much longer would her mortal life span allow her to live. Another fifty years? Sixty or Seventy at most, seeing as living in a dragon's lair was not the healthiest of lifestyles for a mortal. But even that was a blink in the life of a dragon; unless he intervened, he would lose her, or else allow her to have children of her own.

But even that thought was enough to put Smaug in a foul mood. The thought of another male encroaching on what was his, of a male touching her in that way made him grind his teeth together, wishing that a man's bones were there to crunch on.

So he tried to placate himself with the knowledge that Kathryn wasn't going anywhere any time soon. She was staying. With him. It was enough to make his lips twitch into a satisfied grin.

And as of yet, Kathryn had shown no sign that she held anything against him for what had happened. In fact, she carried on as if nothing had happened. She was still restless, he could see by the way she paced whenever her mind became distracted, the way she would impatiently fly through her daily routine, and growing quickly frustrated by her usual morning meditation. But at least she had stopped avoiding him, and approached him as easily as before.

And yet, Smaug found an unsettling doubt in his mind that something should be amiss. That was why he devoted his full attention to her, constantly assessing her and adapting to her moods. As always, when they slept, they dreamed; only this time, Smaug always attached his mind to hers, never failing to drag them both into that mental connection every single night. Kathryn did not seem to complain about this, in fact, he always noticed how she seemed relieved to have him show up in her sleeping subconscious. It was as if she were a child and he her parent banishing her nightmares as she clung to him for protection. And obviously that stroked his ego to no end, making him smirk smugly to himself.

And then, when they were awake, Smaug would constantly try to grab her focus, whatever it may be: starting a conversation, interacting in a different way, having more of an input in her meditation and honing of her skills. He found that he wanted to have her undivided attention focused solely onto him; he wanted to rule her every thought, capture every word. It was not enough that he was her only company, and she often spent hours talking with him; he wanted more. Once he even found a golden harp amongst his treasures and bid her play it, knowing that she didn't know how, if only to spend an entire day teaching her the very basics (in his own condescending, superior, dominating way).

No matter how Smaug looked at this situation, Kathryn had become the soul of his horde, the centre-piece of all his treasure. As what the Arkenstone had been to the dwarves, so too was she to him. There was only one of her in a sea of mortals, the crown jewel, drawing his attention, twisting and corrupting him until all he could think of was her.

"Smaug," Kathryn said aloud pulling the dragon from his thoughts. Smaug looked over to her, where she was hunting through various chests and trunks trying to find herself a new garment to wear. Smaug really didn't understand the need for clothing, if it only pointed out the pathetic frailty of mortals that they needed extra layers to keep themselves warm.

He made a grumbling sound in his throat to acknowledge that he had heard her.

"Why is it that when we dream, you always come into my mind?" she asked as she looked over her shoulder at him. "Why do I never go into yours?"

"Because you cannot," he said simply. She looked at him with wide eyed curiosity, wanting him to explain. "I can enter your dreams with ease because I have the ability to take a fraction of control, and a sharpness of mind in order to keep hold of myself whilst inside your thoughts. In order to get you into my mind, I would need to pull you in. The trauma of that alone would be enough to break you; inside my mind, you would not be able to comprehend it, you would be torn apart in less than a second by being stretched across my consciousness."

"You never know, perhaps my own magic could counter that," she offered.

"No," he growled in warning. "Now cease your dull questions; get on with whatever it is you're supposed to be doing," he snapped as he settled himself onto his beloved gold, working his way in as if he were about to doze lazily. But he continued to watch the human woman as he peeked out from under his eyelids at her.

She made a small noise in her throat but returned to her task. By opening a small trunk she pulled out a dress that sparkled with gold and white velvet and satin, lace sowed in along the neckline and at the end of the sleeves. As it shimmered in the half light, Smaug was reminded of her molten gold scales, and suddenly felt something in him shift as his body began to burn, though not in the usual way when he was about to dispense fire…

Trying to distract his mind, he looked down at his beloved horde, and noticed something shine like starlight amongst the gold coins. Intrigued, Smaug huffed at it to scatter the coins around it, and revealed a brilliant necklace made of _Mithril_ that sparkled in the light. Smaug's eyes caught onto it, as his love of all things shiny and precious made him almost hum appreciatively. But then, he got an idea.

Looking at the human woman as she held the dress to her body to inspect if it would be a good fit for her; Smaug imagined the necklace around her throat, it would complement the dress (or so he assumed) as well as it would draw attention to the mortal beauty of her face in her pale ivory skin, large violet eyes and ruby red hair. He imagined it would make her eyes sparkle with the _Mithril's_ shine reflected in them, like starlight…

_Starlight…_ he thought to himself as he remembered the night outside, simply gazing at the stars with her.

"Kathryn," he said suddenly, and the woman turned to face him, her eyes bright as she watched him. With a claw, Smaug flicked the necklace to her where it landed at her feet, trying to make it seem like nothing, though he watched her every move with a hunter's gaze.

Stooping to pick it up, Kathryn held the _Mithril_ necklace delicately in her hands, her eyes wide as she beheld its beauty. She looked at the dragon nervously, for he had never given her anything like this before. She had never worn anything from the horde, apart from the few dresses and other clothes, she thought of it all as _Smaug's_. It was not hers to touch or to keep – as she had learned with the Arkenstone. The dragon gave her the smallest nod in order to let her know that everything was alright.

She smiled at him, a warm, real smile that to Smaug, was worth more than all the modest pleas of gratitude that she could come up with. He hid his smile as she carefully took the necklace and the dress and disappeared off behind a column away from his eyes to change. Only then did he allow himself to smirk. But he tried to ignore an angry voice inside him that hissed a warning that giving her a gift of his horde was like offering a boon to a mate! But he merely shook it off as nonsense.

As she took her time changing, Smaug was almost curious. He didn't understand mortals need for clothes, and what he understood _less_ was their need to hide their naked forms from one another. Their sense of modesty was rather perplexing: surely hiding your body was just a hindrance and a waste of time, unless mortals thought of each other's naked selves as ugly. But from what he had gathered over his time with his territory surrounded by mortals, was that they reserved the sight of themselves for only their partners to see. Although this idea was stupid, Smaug couldn't help but feel something in him swell with pride to think that no other had seen his human's body… if he saw it, what would that mean? He knew she would be furious for him… "Peeking" as she called it, but she was his to possess, part of his horde and he was King here. He would do as he pleased!

Before he could think further, said human came out from behind the column, the golden dress sparkled and rippled like water as she moved into the light. It clung to her body, accentuating the curves and lines of her torso, hugging her arms, the long skirts hiding her feet. She seemed to be made of solid gold, the dress sparkling as if diamond shards were sown into the gown and Smaug felt his breath freeze as he beheld the sight, his eyes locked onto her as she stood there, shining like a star, an inner radiance flowing from her eyes. And then he noticed the _mithril_ necklace draped proudly around her neck, and he felt something in him stir to think that he had left something of his on her… a mark, a claim…

He quickly shook himself to rid his mind of such thoughts, trying to supress a growl of frustration so that Kathryn would not be upset by thinking that he was displeased with her.

"Well?" she asked, a little quiver in her voice to betray her nerves.

"It seems rather adequate… for a_ human_," he said in a grumbling voice.

"From you, I'll take that as a compliment," she muttered to herself as she gave a half smile.

Smaug subtly watched her, unable to tear his gaze away as she found a mirror, polishing the smooth surface so that she may see her reflection, a smile slowly creeping across her face as she did so.

"It's beautiful," she whispered. "I can imagine a queen wearing this to a ball," she gave a twirl as if she were dancing with an invisible partner.

Smaug said nothing, only watching her with fixated eyes.

"It's the same gold as my scales… It's beautiful," she whispered mostly to herself, twirling the dress as she watched the way it sparkled in the light.

"All dragons are beautiful, but we are more then that," Smaug said.

"So I have noticed," Kathryn murmured with a small smile.

"Dragons are ancient creatures of the earth and sky, the fires of the world burn inside us." Smaug went on proudly. "As a Fire-Drake, I am fire and death; I can destroy cities within hours, all things fear me, and nothing can stop me –"

Smaug was cut off as Kathryn suddenly let out a scream as she fell to the ground, coughing and gagging as she began to shake as tremors raked through her body. Her eyes glazed over and agonised cries erupted from her throat as she slipped into a vision.

Instantly, Smaug snaked his head so that he was above her, looking into her eyes as he connected his mind with hers, feeling her consciousness open to allow him access as he went to surge his being into her –

Blinding white pain flashed across his mind, causing Smaug to yelp and hiss as he shook his head, cutting off his connection to Kathryn. Instantly the pain ceased, and Smaug realised that he had been banished from her mind, blocked from her for some reason he did not yet know. He looked at the woman as she squirmed and writhed upon the gold beneath her, crying out in pain as she hissed in a foul language that nothing could speak anymore.

But then her body snapped into an angle, her back arching impossibly high as her glowing eyes staring towards the ceiling, her breath held in her throat, the moment seeming to freeze as silence deafened the entire chamber.

And then, Katrhyn began to speak, taking in a ragged breath, her voice came out as a croak and dry as if she had not spoken in years. She spoke as she inhaled, the noise grating down Smaug's spine at the unnatural speech. But never the less, he found himself gripped on every word, his whole form poised and humming from the power with which she spoke.

"_The Lord of silver fountains,_  
_ The King of carven stone,_  
_The King Beneath the Mountain_  
_ Shall come into his own!_

_His crown shall be upholden,_  
_ His harp shall be restrung,_  
_His halls shall echo golden_  
_ To songs of yore re-sung._

_The woods shall wave on mountains_  
_ With the last of an autumn sun;_  
_His wealth shall flow in fountains_  
_ And the rivers golden run._

_And the bells shall ring in gladness,_  
_ At the Mountain-King's return,_  
_But all shall fail in sadness_  
_ And the Lake will shine and burn!_"

Smaug blinked, his mind racing as he thought of what this meant. The dwarves... this was a prophecy telling of their coming to try and take back the mountain, he was sure of it! What else could it mean? This was what he had been waiting for, the reason why he had wanted her as a Seer in the first place, and even though he was distressed at her obvious pain, he couldn't help the triumph he felt. His enemy believed that they would surprise him and take his mountain, but he now knew…

Once again he tried to enter her mind, and once again he was denied. He could not help her, he could not see what she was seeing, he could not know of his enemy's coming until she awoke.

So all he could do, was hold his head above her body, and wait. He could only wait and hope that whatever she faced in this vision, she was strong enough to come back to him alive.

* * *

**A/N: Okay! Hope you enjoyed the Chapter, and quick couple of announcements:**

**1) Am now changing the story to an M just to be on the safe side :) **

**2) Chapter 13 will Definitely be posted on the 2nd or 3rd of January, so watch this spot! **

**3) I have completely mapped out the story, I know where everything is, and I can now say with confidence that this is going to be a 21 chapter story, so I hope you guys stay with me and enjoy! :)**

**Have a wonderful festive season until I see you all next time! :D x**


	13. Chapter 13 - Dragon-Fire And Ruin

**Author's Note: At this point, I just feel the need to point out that I only own any OC's and the plot. I do not own any other characters, places, or any reference to the movies of the Hobbit or the book. **

**Oh, and a warning: will be leaning more towards the movies from now on, although I WILL call back to the book on several occasions. I hope that this doesn't upset people, I'm just a fan of the movies and as they are my main source of information and the media that I think at least 98% of Hobbit fans have all seen, it would be best to tip the hat to them. ;) **

**So, spoiler warnings for "An Unexpected Journey" and some for "Desolation Of Smaug" as well. But I will be putting my own spin on things in order to go with the story. Obviously. Thanks! **

* * *

Chapter 13 – Dragon-Fire And Ruin

"What is deep within you, never dies or gets worn out, and only needs some fire from time to time? Your Soul"

* * *

_Kathryn looked around her as the city burned. Smoke filled the air, burning her throat and making her gag. Screams filled her ears as people ran to and fro in a blind panic to escape the creature that hounded them from all sides. Mother's carried their children in their arms, trying to shield them as they burned; men shot arrows into the sky, but only drew the beast's attention to them and they quickly died as a result. A roar sounded, the cacophony seeming to crack open the heavens, and Kathryn looked up to see the familiar, terrible, gigantic shadow that soared across the sky, skimming over roof tops, toppling towers, desecrating buildings, burning the City of Dale to the ground as he swept past in a terrible fury._

_This was unlike any vision Kathryn had ever seen, for instead of being one of the bystanders of Dale, or someone participating in the actual event as she normally saw, she seemed to be looking at these events… as if it were a scene, as if she were a third party that was not connected to these events and she merely looked on. _

_Her eyes followed the dragon as he continued to wreak havoc and destruction upon Dale, and she felt that all too familiar lift in her heart as she saw the gleam of his eye, felt the passing wind from under his wings and watched his shadow pass over her. Some part of her thought that perhaps this was Smaug in her mind come to help her and he was about to turn around and collect her, whisking her away from this vision as he always did. But when his gaze simply passed over her, as if she were invisible, Kathryn knew with a dreadful certainty that she was alone._

_But then she saw one man take a stand. He stood proud and tall, his hair dark, his face sharp and resolute with a severe gaze. He marched up to a high tower, where Kathryn saw a Dwarvern Wind-Lance stood high. It was huge, the contraption was at least the height of a man, and the width of two abreast. She watched with bated breath as the man took up a huge black arrow, the dark metal glinting in the fires around him, the weapon was at least as tall as the man wielding it. All people knew of the superstition that the only way to kill a dragon was with a Black Arrow fired from Dwarern Wind-Lance, the Black Arrow being big enough and sharp enough to penetrate the scales to and reach the heart deep within, the Wind-Lance being the only bow powerful enough to shoot it and create any real damage... that is, if the aim was true. As she watched, Kathryn suddenly felt uneasy as she watched the mortal man set up the Wind-Lance with the arrow set and ready as he tried to aim for the dragon that soared above the city. _

_With a loud crash of the powerful, giant crossbow-contraption releasing, the arrow was sent flying through the air towards the dragon... and missed._

_Kathryn was shocked, and so was the man as he stood there, mouth open, eyes wide as panic began to make a crack in his seemingly calm self-control._

_He fired more arrows into the air, but none seemed to hit their mark. Until with only two arrows left, the one before the last sailed through the air and struck Smaug upon his left breast -_

_And bounced off, falling away into the city below. _

_Smaug then turned his attention to the man by the Wind-Lance, the glow of his eyes penetrating the smoke around him as he regarded the mortal with hatred and fury. With a blast of his fire, Smaug reduced the tower to naught but ash; there was so much smoke and flame that Kathryn was unsure if the man had got away, but Smaug seemed to believe that that was enough and turned his attention back to the city. _

_And then she heard a voice. No, it wasn't a voice as such, it was more of a thought, an echo in her head as if she were thinking. But the voice of the thoughts did not belong to her. _

_'_Such wanton death was dealt that day_…' the thought said almost sorrowfully. _

_Kathryn looked up, and saw what the voice meant with growing dread forming like ice in her stomach. Smaug destroying needlessly, burning men, women and children without any thought or care, it wasn't the assured, calculating mind she had come to know, there was no plan, no reason, Smaug wasn't even making sure that he was killing everything he attacked. No, this was simply chaos; Smaug was only causing this suffering because he could. _

_'_For this city of men was nothing to Smaug…_' as the voice in her head said this, Kathryn saw Smaug pass over the city centre, burning everything in his path, a trail of destruction in his wake. She watched children cry and scream for their mothers who would not wake from where they lay lifeless beside them, their dolls and toys of innocence burning upon the ground. Kathryn watched, her heart breaking piece by piece as she saw Smaug suddenly turn and head straight towards the Lonely Mountain, roaring his challenge to the dwarves that hid beneath._

_'_**His** eye… was set on another prize_…'_

_The dwarves inside marched to the Entrance hall as Smaug smashed his gigantic bulk into the front gates again and again; his strength making the strong metal groan and protest as it was bent out of shape by each earth-shattering strike. Smaug's terrible fire blasted against the doors, leaking through the cracks into the Hall. The Dwarves stood to attention, their weapons ready as they prepared for battle. _

_The seeming commander called out to his men in Dwarvish where he led them from the front. Kathryn wanted to beg him, to tell him to surrender, there was no hope, but she had no voice and no mouth with which to speak. Only eyes to see and the voice in her head telling her of the inevitable. _

_'_For Dragons covert gold, with a **dark** and **fierce** desire_,' _

_With one final roar, the doors caved and Smaug issued forth a wave of fire that consumed the entrance hall. As the doorway was too small for him, he reared back on his hind legs and smashed apart the stone doorway, leaving a huge gaping hole big enough for him to storm through._

_The remaining dwarves tried to stop him: they raised their weapons high and did everything they could to bring him down. But Smaug didn't even look at them as he merely brushed past them, their weapons merely bouncing off of his tough hide; he seemed almost completely unaffected by their pathetic attempts to harm him. _

_He stormed through the Entrance Hall, crushing soldiers underfoot, breaking apart the walls as it crumbled against his sides. _

_When he reached the chamber, that chamber that Kathryn knew all too well, Smaug released a triumphant roar as he dove in amongst the gold and precious jewels, revelling in his victory as he allowed the treasure to pool around him, bathing him in its radiance. When dwarves dared to approach, he angrily blasted them with his fire, guarding the horde with a terrible fury, chasing out anyone still within the mountain, killing all those too weak and slow to escape him. _

_'_Erebor… was lost,_' the voice lamented. '_For a dragon will guard his plunder as long as he lives…_'_

_Kathryn saw the devastation around her, a city in ruin, an entire kingdom gone within a day… so many lives lost… so much death… And for what? For gold… for greed? _

_Suddenly, the vision warped around her, and Kathryn hissed in pain as she felt the fabric of her reality bend and almost snap in half as the vision twisted and crumbled around her –_

_And replayed._

_Again Kathryn looked around her as the city burned. Again she inhaled the smoke, coughing as it choked her, heard the people screaming, saw them running for whatever shelter they could find, but to no avail as the monstrous fire-breather hunted them through the streets. The people fought back, and Kathryn saw that the vision was slightly changed: it was men, elves and dwarves that fought against the ferocious dragon, working together in an effort to bring him down, but they all burned. A roar sounded, Kathryn looked up to see Smaug soar across the sky, using his powerful tail to smash against the city's defences, his claws to crumble the buildings, and his fire to burn everything to the ground in a vengeful rage. _

_Again Kathryn was in a third person view of the events, but this time the vision was different, it was changed and yet eerily the same... _

_Her eyes followed the dragon as he continued to wreak havoc and destruction upon this unknown city, for it was not Dale that he attacked, but some well-fortified city perhaps in Gondor. As Smaug passed over her, again as if he could not see her, Kathryn saw a terrible light in his eyes, a wrath the likes of which she had never before seen, even when she had escaped and even in his fit of jealousy, one that made her quake in fear like she had not felt since when she had first been his prisoner. _

_She heard the voice again inside her head, speaking the same words again, although she was sure they were of a very different context. _

_'_Such wanton death was dealt that day_…' the thought said almost sorrowfully. _

_Kathryn watched in horrified awe: Smaug was no longer destroying needlessly, this wasn't like before. No, this time when he passed over a building, he made sure to smash into it with all his strength, watching it crumble till there were not even foundations left before he moved onto the next. When people fought back against him, or even if he passed innocents trying to flee, he deliberately turned to them, and gave an almighty bellow as he consumed them with his fire, burning them all: men, women and children. It was taking him twice as long as a standard attack, but his ruthless rage, that made his eyes glow like something not of this world, it fuelled him, and he killed without mercy, he slaughtered without regret. _

_'_For this city of mortals was nothing to Smaug…_' as the voice in her head said this, Kathryn saw Smaug finish the city, leaving behind not a building standing nor a soul left alive as he turned and headed straight towards the Keep above the main body of the City, roaring his challenge as he came bearing down like a demon upon the people inside._

_'_**His** eye… was set on another prize_…'_

_Just as before, Smaug roared furiously to the doors that were sealed against him, he smashed his gigantic bulk into the front gates again and again; his strength making the strong metal groan and protest as it was bent out of shape as he struck it. Smaug bellowed a torrent of fire against the barrier, almost melting the doors as they squealed in protest. _

_'_For Dragons covert their treasures, with a dark and fierce **desire**_,' That wasn't right, Kathryn thought as her stomach began to turn to ice as dread filled her being; the voice was supposed to say that "Dragons lust for gold", what did it mean by "treasures"?_

_With one final roar, the doors caved and Smaug issued forth a wave of fire that consumed the entrance hall. As the doorway was too small for him, he reared back on his hind legs and smashed apart the stone framework, leaving a huge gaping hole big enough for his massive bulk as he charged inside._

_Once within the Keep interior, Smaug attacked with a demonic ferocity, the cold hatred in his eyes burned unlike anything Kathryn had ever seen. Before, he had merely ignored the pathetic mortals in his way, now he openly attacked them: each one he either snapped up in his jaws, or crushed in his fists, or reduced them to naught but ash with his flame. When blood coated the floor, and the foul stench of death was more suffocating then the smoke, Smaug stood there, his sides heaving with barely controlled fury, his eyes seething as they blazed like a roaring inferno. He stormed through the Keep, breaking apart the structure to accommodate his gigantic size, killing every living thing he found as he searched frantically through the mortal construct. _

_He scented the air, his nostrils flaring, when suddenly he stiffened when he picked up a specific scent. Suddenly he switched direction, breaking down a whole wall as he did so, and was storming down the hall until he came to another sealed door. With an angry bellow he struck against it, the first impact alone almost tearing the doors apart. Three more strikes and a blast of flame and the doors were thrown off of their hinges._

_Smaug then stood there, and Kathryn found herself suddenly inside the chamber now and she could barely make out his silhouette through the smoke. Smaug then leaned his head into the chamber, his nostrils flaring, his eyes searching, his long snake-like neck weaving into the room, for now he seemed to dare not break apart the stone to get inside. Then his eyes locked onto Kathryn, and she gasped when she realised that he could actually _**see**_ her! The dragon grinned and roared triumphantly, ducking his head out of the chamber so that he could reach in with a hand, quickly snatching Kathryn up in his talons as he carried her out. As he turned around back the way he had come towards the light, he held her tightly to his chest, a rumbling growl ever present as he dared anyone to take her from his grasp. Kathryn was frozen, feeling oddly limp as she didn't know what to do. _

_When dwarves, men and elves all came barrelling down the corridors in an attempt to stop the dragon, Smaug roared his fury and blasted them with his fire, clutching Kathryn tighter to his chest, almost painfully. He wreaked his vengeance upon the mortals, killing everything and everyone that stood before him. _

_'_The Seer… was lost,_' Kathryn heard the voice lament inside her head. '_For a dragon will guard his plunder as long as he lives…_'_

_Kathryn felt her breath leave her as her heart froze. All of this, all this death, destruction, was for her? He would kill so much, destroy everything around him in an effort to get to her? She was oddly touched… but that was what made her so disgusted. _

_And then she remembered every time Smaug had claimed her: "**To have the greatest voice in Middle-Earth, one that shall be mine alone until the end of days…** __**And now, you belong to me… You will not leave... I will not have what is mine left bare for others to steal... This mountain and I are all that you have**__... _I will not let you take what is MINE… You are mine to do with as I please… And I will kill all who try to alter that fact…_"_

_The vision warped around her again, and she was thrown into a seemingly endless tunnel that continued on down into the bowls of the earth forever and forever. A vortex of images, sounds, memories, feeling and sensations swirled around her. _

_She saw the siege of Erebor, a fire storm of death and scales as a city was ripped apart and a mountain taken; a dwarf with black hair and a trimmed beard looking gravely into a fire as he was approached by a man in grey robes; a company of thirteen dwarves travelling across the map of Middle-Earth; a huge ruined fortress in a dark forest, a black swirling entity massing within as it hungered with a seething presence; and then she saw the dwarf prince emerge as he came into the depths of Erebor running as the company of dwarves followed him, and they came into a room… filled with decaying bodies…_

_"I shall kill him for this…" the dwarf hissed as all the emotion was conveyed into his eyes. He turned to his companions, the want for battle in his blood as he stood before them. "If this is to end in fire… then we will all burn together!"_

_Kathryn was once again thrown into the tornado as the vision shifted around her, bending her mind, almost tearing her apart in an attempt to show her something else. But everything just seemed to be spinning faster and faster, and from the whirl came a chant that echoed through her skull._

_"The Lord of silver fountains,_  
_The King of carven stone,_  
_The King Beneath the Mountain_  
_Shall come into his own!_

_His crown shall be upholden,_  
_His harp shall be restrung,_  
_His halls shall echo golden_  
_To songs of yore re-sung._

_The woods shall wave on mountains_  
_With the last of an autumn sun;_  
_His wealth shall flow in fountains_  
_And the rivers golden run._

_And the bells shall ring in gladness,_  
_At the Mountain-King's return,_  
_But all shall fail in sadness_  
_And the Lake will shine and burn!"_

_And as the chant faded, Kathryn saw a gigantic head rear into her view, breaking through the walls of the swirling mass around her as it came towards her. Kathryn knew the face all too well, but there was something in it that chilled her to the bone._

_"I am fire… I am __**Death!**__"_

_Kathryn screamed._

* * *

Kathryn came hurtling back to her body, he lungs burning and her throat aching as she was still screaming as she came back to awareness. Panting for breath, Kathryn looked around wildly, her hands reaching out to grab anything around her in order to assure herself that she was on solid ground. Her eyes darted around as her eyesight slowly came back into focus, seeking out the light, trying to see –

And saw a huge dragon head right above her body.

Kathryn screamed at the top of her lungs, utter terror seizing her as the sound was ripped from her lungs. The volume and pitch of the noise was so great that the dragon hissed and reared away, shaking his head at the assault on his sensitive hearing.

Suddenly, Kathryn recognised the dragon as Smaug. But still that terror would not leave her easily.

And as she realised what had happened, something nagged in the back of her mind, a voice that would not be silenced, a need she could not deny.

Jumping to her feet, Kathryn ran towards the nearest set of stairs, hardly aware of anything around her, her only focus on that one spot in front of her. Her mind was still in such a state, that she wasn't even aware of Smaug, until his tail came crashing onto the ground in front of her. Kathryn shrieked in surprise, skidding to a halt and almost tripping over herself as she turned to look at the monstrous head that watched her with confused and suspicious eyes.

"Kathryn, what is this? What are you doing?" he asked impatiently.

But Kathryn couldn't answer, her fear making her voice unable to escape past the lump in her throat as she looked at him. All she could see was those burning eyes filled with vengeful hate, the smoke, the fire, the death.

Without answering him, Kathryn turned back and jumped up onto Smaug's tail and quickly leapt over him, running away towards one of the columns of stairs. She heard Smaug hiss behind her as he gave chase, but she ignored him; she was actually rather shocked at the lack of feeling that she had… she felt numb to him.

Quickly racing up the stairs, Kathryn tried her hardest to remember every little detail of what she had seen in the vision. She went through huge vaulted halls and along more bridges, working her way through the Dwarf Kingdom. And constantly she heard the footfalls of the gigantic reptile as he followed her, staying far enough behind that she could barely notice him, but he never lost sight of her, his eyes stayed firmly fixed onto her back. But Kathryn paid him no heed, she would take notice in due time when her suspicions were either confirmed or terminated; and she had a growing sense of dread in her that her fears would prove to be true.

She then noticed a doorway that led off into narrow corridors that would just about be tall and wide enough for her, and following her gut instinct, she knew that the room she sought was beyond it. Quickly turning and sprinting towards the opening, Kathryn raced to it as she heard the snarl of the dragon as he came to try and stop her. But before he could grab her, she was through and out of his reach. She heard his roars of outrage, heard him shouting in anger for her to return to him, but she ignored him. She couldn't go back, not yet.

Picking herself up, the golden dress rippling with a smooth and elegant grace as she moved. Walking down the hallway, away from the noise of the dragon, Kathryn went through passages and corridors until the darkness and the stale air began to almost consume her, and she found it hard to breathe, the sense of claustrophobia that had been growing in her over these past few weeks now nearing their peak.

Rounding the corner, Kathryn entered a room and –

And found herself faced with death.

Kathryn almost lost her footing as she stopped so suddenly, her hands snatching out to grasp the doorway and almost held herself up. She was gagging, forcing her to cover her mouth and nose with a shaking hand as she was almost vomiting from the stench of death that assaulted her. Her eyes were wide, quickly misting over with tears as she beheld the sight before her, her knees quaking in horror.

The room was littered with the bodies

They were all huddled around the room, all in various stages of decay, skin rotting, eye-sockets empty and dark, lips shrivelled up into nothing to reveal old cracked teeth that gleamed in what little light there was. There was perhaps just under two dozen of them, all at the back of the room where what looked like a cave-in blocked their path.

Kathryn felt tears run down her face as she looked at the grey skinned dead dwarves, their bodies long forgotten, each seeming to be held in a state of misery as they lay curled up on the floor. Looking at the rocks by the seeming-to-be cave-in, Kathryn realised that they were all huddled away from the door, some of their hands were still fixed firmly upon the stones as if they could move the rubble in an attempt to escape.

With a shuddering breath, realisation dawning on her, Kathryn realised that these were the last of the dwarves of Erebor. After Smaug's siege, they must have been trapped between the dragon and the main way out, and had no choice but to come here. They had come seeking another exit, but of course Smaug would have gone over every inch of the Mountain, both inside and out, looking for any means with which intruders could get in. He was too smart and conniving in order to simply assume that others would leave him be, he had sealed off every exit but the main gate. These survivors must have come here hoping for a way out, but instead found only stone, and couldn't go back because of the death by fire that awaited them at the other end. So they had stayed, trying hopelessly to escape by moving the stone, only to die in misery and suffering, clawing for breath… Men, women –

Kathryn felt her stomach lurch as a shuddering sob threatened to burst from her neck as she saw tiny children gathered amongst the dead. Even a small babe, perhaps barely two months old from what she could tell, clinging to its mother.

Unable to bear the sight anymore, Kathryn turned and fled from the room, tears streaking her face and sobs making it difficult to breathe as she ran.

She had been right, all of that pain, all of the suffering, all the _death_... Smaug had caused it all. This wasn't new to her, she had known all along that he was a killer and even enjoyed the act of killing. That didn't bother her. It was the fact that he didn't care whatsoever. There was never any remorse; when someone challenged him, Kathryn could understand that, but innocents? The elderly? Mothers? Children and tiny babes? It sickened her to think that he would happily do so again if given the chance.

And then, she felt her stomach drop with guilt, terror, horror and dread, as she realised – if her latest vision was anything to go by – Smaug would do much, much, much worse for her sake. If this was him giving his victims a chance, she was terrified to think of what he would do if he really wanted to kill them all.

She couldn't live with that guilt, to know that it was all for her. She was suddenly more entrapped then before, because the lives of hundreds now depended on her to stay. She could never again be truly free, or risk the lives of so many.

Racing away down towards the bowels of Erebor, Kathryn wanted to get this stink of death off of her, the whole foulness that seemed to surround her because of that room, because of what she had seen…

But the stream that fed into the underground lake where Kathryn usually bathed was past the treasure chamber, and surely Smaug would be on the prowl as he searched for where she had gone.

Kathryn didn't want to see him; she couldn't even gather the courage to face him after what she had just seen. So she listened out for any sign of him that her body had become so accustomed to noticing. And Kathryn suddenly realised how in tune she was with him, how over these past months she had truly become one with her unusual captor. But he had become more than that; he had become a companion, even a friend she would dare-say, and the Lonely Mountain was her home.

And now the very idea of that was ruined, shattered like so many pieces of glass.

Kathryn had never truly hated her powers so much, then in that moment when she realised that everything she had built with Smaug, everything they had been through, all the trust; thanks to that vision, it was now gone.

* * *

Smaug stalked through the halls of Erebor, constantly scenting the air, craning his sense of hearing almost to its limit as he listened out for any hint of a sound.

When Kathryn had given a… _startled_ reaction after waking from her vision, Smaug had been greatly confused, which had only increased when as he had questioned her and she had hopped over his tail and ran from him. He had wanted to snatch her up and confront her, and they had both known that he could have easily caught her, but he allowed her to run, she had seemed utterly determined, as if she had a destination in mind. So, he had followed her, stalking her like the hunter he was. He kept a distance encase she would become frightened again, making sure to be as loud as he could so that she would know he was there – which went against every predators instinct in him to normally be as silent and stealthy as possible.

He had followed until all of a sudden, she had run. He saw where she was going, a small doorway that led into a network of short corridors and rooms where he could not follow, he had tried to stop her, but thanks to his accursed caution, he was too far back to catch her in time! He had raged at her audacity, had even tried to break down the walls, but had quickly given up and hurried away as he went through the area, combing his way through to try and find a way to the other side, hoping to cut her off or to find another route to her destination. But they were close to the edge of the mountain, so there were no other paths to her that he could take.

Smaug wasn't concerned about her running away; he had blocked all of the entrances and exits into the mountain long ago when he had first come to Erebor. But he needed to know what she had seen in that vision. A part of him was concerned about what she had gone through without him, he felt extremely short tempered at the prospect of being unable to defend her due to any means. But another part, a greater part of him, _needed_ to know when his enemies were coming. The dwarf Oakenshield, the descendant of Durin that he had allowed to live, was coming, Kathryn's prophecy predicted it. "_The King Under the Mountain_" Smaug snorted, there was no king under the mountain but him, and he would not be a fool and make the same mistake twice by allowing the line of Durin to live once again!

So Smaug needed to know what she had seen, to prepare, to make sure that no one would steal from him! But before he could do anything once she had awoken, she had run from him, and now, he was stalking along the halls trying to find her.

Her strange behaviour since she had awoken had put him on edge, a sense of foreboding forming in his stomach, as he was left puzzling at her motivation for these actions.

After she had been gone for perhaps an hour, Smaug decided to return to the lower halls, hoping that she had somehow found her way back, and that he would be able to talk to her there. As he made his way through the fortress, Smaug gradually began to pick up her scent, and began to quicken his pace, following her trail down past the treasure chamber and to a rather large cavern like space. It was mainly a place in ruins from Smaug's conquest of Erebor, but over the years rain and water from the broken pipes of wells had allowed for all of the water to gather into a lake in this room. This was where Smaug had most of his drinking water, and where Kathryn had been coming to bathe since he had brought her here.

Smaug's senses quickly scanned the area; she was here, he could smell her. He made a loud rumble in his chest as he stepped into the cavern, the reflection of the water making his scales gleam in the dim light. He snaked this way and that as he checked behind every fallen rock and in every little crack as he searched for her.

One of his claws hit something with a soft _"clink"_, and Smaug stepped back and looked down to see what he had disturbed.

A golden dress lay crumpled on the floor, now filthy where it had once shone like molten gold. A _Mithril _necklace was on top, as if it had been ripped from the throat of its wearer and thrown carelessly with the dress. Both now lay dejected in the dust.

Smaug blinked several times as he stared at the items, unable to recognise what he was suddenly feeling. Kathryn didn't throw her clothes away; she was always adamant that they were fit for high lords and ladies and so should be treated as such. For her to do this was completely out of character. But he couldn't stop himself from staring at the necklace in dismay, he had given that to her as a gift; so why would she discard it so? And why did it hurt to think that she had?

He heard soft footsteps and his head snapped up to the direction the sound had come from, his eyes focusing on the point as a figure appeared.

Kathryn came from around the corner, dressed in relatively simple clothes: a blouse and breeches with small shoes. Her hair was still dripping wet and her body still damp from where she had just washed in the lake, wet patches appearing on her clothes and making them stick to her skin. When she saw him, she stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes wide and her face going pale as all blood drained from her cheeks. Suddenly Smaug could scent the subtle changes in her body as he could smell her fear; it was so powerful he had to snort its intoxicating effect from his body, shaking his head to rid himself of his predator instincts.

"Kathryn…" he growled in a soft voice, as he regarded her cautiously.

She shied away from him, tucking her head to the side as her bottom lip trembled. With shaking legs, he could see her force herself to move as she walked past him, keeping her pale face turned away. Trying to keep as far from him as the slim passage would allow, she stepped on the dress as she did so, carelessly kicking the _Mithril_ necklace in the process. She didn't even look back, or seem to even notice that she had done it.

Before Smaug could stop himself, a roar of anger exploded from his jaws. He was suddenly boiling with uncontrollable rage as he spun around and roared at the human woman in front of him. He was so angry and confused he couldn't seem to wrap his mind around a reasonable answer for his sudden fury, all he knew was that something had happened to Kathryn in that vision, something that he had not prevented, and now they were both paying the price for it.

Kathryn screamed at the sound, her knees giving out with fright and she scrambled back to get away from the dragon as he came towards her. Smaug followed her, his head and long serpentine neck snaking after her until her back was pushed against a stone wall; she looked at him, her purple eyes wide with fear.

"What did you see?! Tell me!" He snarled.

Kathryn couldn't speak, only turned her head away as a single tear snaked down her cheek.

Smaug watched the tear fall, and as it hit the ground, his fury suddenly abated and he saw the woman before him. Shaking and almost soiling herself in complete and utter terror, her eyes closed as if she were waiting for him to kill her. She had not been this afraid of him since the very beginning. But he thought they were past this, he thought she trusted him to not hurt her; so why now?! Why the fear? What could have possibly happened, what could he have done –?!

And suddenly he knew what she had seen in her vision.

She had seen Smaug take Erebor. He knew this because of her fear of him and the prophecy she had spoken. The prophecy was the inevitability: its outcome unknown, but its start was already written, for it was in the nature of dwarves to try to take what was his, as it was in his nature to kill them all for trying.

But because of this inevitability, he had lost the trust of his only companion. The only one that mattered…

He looked over at the discarded necklace, something that not a few hours ago had made him proud to see Kathryn with something of his… like she belonged to him… belonged with him…

And now, everything lay in ash and ruin.

* * *

**Author's Note: Hi ya everyone! I hope you all had brilliant New Year Celebrations! **

**Whoa, does it feel GOOD to be back! :D I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter, and please review! Tell me what you think of: The vision(s)? The room of bodies (a room that actually features in the film DoS)? Kathryn's reaction? Smaug's reaction to Kathryn's reaction? **

**Please don't send the hate mail! I just felt that this had to be addressed at some point in the plot, because although it is quite hot to think that a man would destroy a whole city looking for you, in reality, and especially where Smaug/Kathryn (or "SMAT" as some are calling them ;] lol) are concerned, that's quite the horror. Kathryn cannot deal with the guilt she would feel should that happen, the death of the Knight was bad enough. Kathryn's now starting to realise the severity and the darker side to this "relationship", and this will take them on a new turn. So please don't unfollow me! I swear this is according to plan and not to screw with you guys! **

**Good News: Next update should be soon-ish, just got to fit around a few bits and pieces of Uni work, but I'm not slowing down! :D And also, I would just like to take this opportunity that for fans who love Smaug/Kathryn and "Heart of Fire", if you have any Birthdays coming up, please give me a shout. I have something special that I whipped up on photoshop (which I just discovered) and now have something special to say "Thank You" for all the favs, follows, and reviews! **

**I love you guys! x**


	14. Chapter 14 - To Save Us Both

Chapter 14 – To Save Us Both

"It dances and skips,

it's read in the eyes and felt on the lips,

If it meets its match it's easily caught,

but it's worth nothing if it is bought.

What is it? – the Heart"

* * *

Two weeks passed. Two weeks, the pair in the Lonely Mountain seemed to tiptoe around each other. Two weeks, they hardly said a word other then what was necessary, as if unable to find the words or the voice. Two weeks, they spent in a state of limbo, not knowing whether to cling to the rocks of the cliff they dangled over or to simply let go as it crumbled into the sea. Two weeks spent not knowing what to do or where to go.

And Smaug **_hated_** it!

He had never thought that Kathryn could be withdrawn; yes she had been grief-stricken before, but never like this. Back then, she had wanted any distraction to keep her mind occupied; now she often lapsed into silence as she stared into empty space, her mind far away from him. She had always been so full of determination, defiance, even in the face of danger such as himself. Such fire in her eyes… that was what he liked about her, but now… the fire of the candle was gone, leaving him stranded in the darkness.

After what had happened by the underground lake, Smaug had thought that Kathryn would come around; she would confront him about what she had seen him do. She would demand answers and he would roar his dominance over her as they always did, their little game unending as they always went around in the same circle. But, she didn't. She remained inside her own head, not weeping and keeping to herself like she did in her grief; more rather, she seemed to be constantly pondering and thinking over something inside her head, just too engrossed in her own thoughts to pay attention to the real world. This would go on until she would randomly ask a question like:

"Smaug, why do you lust for gold?"

"Why do you ask?" He said as he had looked at her, completely thrown by the sudden question.

"It's just that… everything you do is for practicality, everything has a reason. Why do you want gold and treasure? What is the reason for it?"

He had thought about it for a time, thinking an answer would be obvious, but… none came. The only thing he could think of was that the gold was precious to him; it had taken a place in his heart that drove him to have it, to possess it, it was a dark and fierce desire that he could not explain. So instead, he simply said:

"Why does the river seek the sea? Why does night follow day? We all act according to our nature. A wolf takes the meat he needs to satisfy his hunger; a dragon takes treasure to satisfy a _different _hunger. It is in the nature of all things to act according to their desires and needs. But some are more… _direct _in satisfying those hungers." he had chuckled darkly.

"But why gold?"

"Why not?" he'd countered.

She had remained silent and went back to her thoughts. But Smaug knew the question that she had wanted to ask after: _Why me_? And in all truth, he would have answered exactly the same. _Why not you_?

Had he gained no ground with her? Had everything he had put them both through over these last ten months been for nothing?! Had it all been forgotten because of one doubt? He had doubted her before but her word had reinstated his faith in her. What did he need to do to put her faith in him? He was completely frustrated by the fact that he couldn't simply take what it was he wanted.

If meat was of one hunger and treasure was of another, then Kathryn completely starved him of a different sort of hunger, one that he could not quench with her being this way.

They had both tried to put things back to how they had been before. Kathryn did her usual morning routine, her meditation, and her exercises to try and help with her powers. Smaug would watch, and as before, would occasionally put in the odd word or command in order to show her a different perspective. But if anything, her use of Raw Magic was becoming much more erratic, the bursts of energy were more explosive, uncontrollable, and they were taking their toll. Kathryn would finish completely exhausted, sometimes battered and slightly bruised from where a shock-wave had sent her reeling. It was as if with her inner turmoil of emotions as of late, her magic became much more destructive as a result. When she had almost broken her arm when a pulse of magic had sent her crashing into a column, Smaug had demanded that she never do those exercises again in his presence, he had never had a single jewel in his horde break before and he most certainly wasn't going to start now.

During the day Kathryn would often lapse into intense thoughts. Smaug would try to demand her attention in any way he could, but she was always distracted, if asked a question or conversation was sought of her, she would only give vague, short, compulsory answers, never getting involved. This would continue until Smaug went out to hunt in the afternoon as he did every day. This was the time when he felt as if Kathryn were vulnerable, as if his absence guaranteed that Oakenshield would come and attempt to take his treasure from him. So he often hurried in his hunts, wanting to get back to his lair as quickly as possible.

But once he returned, the true torture of their situation began. Kathryn would take her meat as she always did, and they would eat in silence. Smaug would then command she sing for him as he did every night, and as she sang, it was like when she had first come to the mountain and she had defied him. Her heart wasn't in it. That in itself was enough to drive him almost to madness! The ONLY reason he was so forgiving of this was because she was pitch perfect as always, but he couldn't command her to _feel_. The ridiculousness of asking such a thing was most aggravating!

And then they would dream. This was the only saving grace of the entire day. In dreams, Smaug could appear in whatever form he deemed necessary, and so could adapt much better. And also, he noticed that in dreams Kathryn seemed much calmer, more like herself even if she was still apprehensive around him. She would try to be as she would normally be in dreams: inquisitive, imaginative, perhaps even try to irritate him on purpose. But then, something would seem to strike her mind as if she were remembering something, and she would become withdrawn from him once again.

As the days went by with no change, Smaug found himself becoming much more forward with his attempts to make Kathryn either snap out of this insanity or break her will so that she would be forced to confront him. Once, he almost became so angry that he almost snatched her up and demanded that she tell him every little thing, he would not suffer her silence a second longer. But, he knew that this would only worsen his plight, he needed her to trust him again. He couldn't do anything else until that happened. He was becoming increasingly impatient, if he had her trust then she would tell him what she saw in her vision, she could tell him when Oakenshield was coming, and then everything could be as it was.

But no matter what either of them did, it made no difference. Something had changed, even if they themselves remained the same.

Drawn from his thoughts back into the present, Smaug was aware of Kathryn getting up from her usual place in her bedding of tapestries and cushions, as she walked past him towards one of the stairs leading to the rest of the mountain. Smaug watched her every move, his eyes never leaving her as he took in every line and curve of her body, every fiery lock of ruby red hair, and every fleck of violet in her purple eyes. As if she could sense his eyes upon her, she paused, turning to him, her eyes briefly meeting his.

"I'm going to bathe. I'll be back soon…" she mumbled quietly, before walking away.

He hated it when she did that, behaved as if she were small and weak – which her human body was, but her spirit was never like that. He wanted her to be herself again, he wanted the fire, he wanted _Kathryn_. He wanted her to return to him.

And Smaug found himself in the most unusual position of wanting something he couldn't have.

Growling to himself in frustration, Smaug shifted to try and get comfortable on his bed of gold. But no matter what he did, it would not settle the unrest inside of him. He knew that this couldn't continue much longer. Before long one of them would soon break.

Smaug would never beg, so he would not start by begging for her attention like a mongrel pup begging for food! But having said that, he couldn't stand her silence, not when they had come so far.

All the time he had to think of a way to win her back. But also he thought of her question… everything he did had a purpose.

What was the purpose now? He had originally brought her to the mountain for her voice, and then once he learned she was a seer he knew that that could be advantageous to him. But her singing was not pleasing him, and if she wouldn't tell him what she saw in the vision, then what was the point? He could force the information out of her, but for some reason that didn't sit well with him. He knew enough from her prophecy anyway, all of the signs were there like a grand riddle waiting to be deciphered.

So what now? Smaug knew that with anything else, if something became of disinterest to him or lost its value he would soon throw it away or destroy it. To do that to Kathryn?! He almost snarled at the thought! He would not allow anyone to take a single coin from him, so he would be damned if he would let one of his treasures free onto the wilderness, where anyone could steal her from him.

And anyway, where would she go? The rest of humanity had cast her aside, brandishing her a curse, throwing away her value for their own ignorantly stupid fear. He had even told her that there was nowhere else for her to go, that this mountain and he were all that she had left. It was pointless and –

He blinked as an idea suddenly struck him. Oh that was sly, even for him… and he couldn't help but grin wickedly at the thought.

Perhaps there was a way he could win her back after all…

* * *

Kathryn sat in the freezing ankle deep water, her mind deep in thought. She'd been doing that a lot lately.

It had been two weeks since her vision, and things hadn't been the same.

She had to take a moment to wonder that at what point did she consider to be living with a murderous dragon as "normal"?

She could never have imagined that her life would turn out this way, that she would come to this. At first she had been petrified of Smaug, then had tried to simply survive this new living arrangement. Then, as the months passed, she had grown accustomed to life with him; Eru save her, she even believed Smaug was the only creature to treat her with any kind of decency – if she could call his treatment of her that. Some might call him abusive, domineering, a murderer, a monster… but Kathryn couldn't think of him that way.

He had saved her life on more than one occasion, and she had saved his – even though he would never admit it. If nothing else, Kathryn would say that they were allies.

And yet, Kathryn felt in her heart that that was merely an understatement to her.

He was a complexity if ever there was one. He was majestic yet frightening, powerful and quick, supremely intelligent but his guarded nature wasted his cunning on the pursuit of gold, he was utterly beautiful but deadly, and his lack of empathy only pushed forward his wickedness. He seemed to be a very angry creature, wanting to lash out at the first thing that drew his attention, but also… desperate for attention. Kathryn could find no other way to describe it; even when he was at his utmost cruel, even when he was playing mind games, even when he was stalking his prey, he craved for the respect and attention of another creature, so therefore he would have something to distract his mind. Even if he would eventually tire of whatever caught his interest.

But he hadn't tired of Kathryn. Perhaps this was the longest he had ever had company. But Kathryn couldn't think too much about it. He was a dragon, his thoughts were completely different from her own, she could hardly know what he was thinking.

But for a while now, to Kathryn it seemed that something had been there, deep within her, something that she could not name, something that drew her to the ancient creature in a way that she had never felt before. It compelled her to him, where all of his demands, threats and orders had never captured her so intimately as this feeling did. But whatever this was between them, Kathryn knew that this new aspect of their relationship couldn't bear to be put under the light and examined in close detail. If she did, she feared that it would ruin what was already there.

If her vision hadn't done that already.

She had been avoiding Smaug as of late, every time she looked at him all she could see was his face as he killed thousands of people, destroyed everything before him. All for greed. And then, all for her. She shuddered, still unable to wrap her mind around that possibility. How could something like that possibly happen? But she continuously thought: how could she _let_ that happen?

She shook it off; she knew that if her thoughts kept returning to this point as they always had, she would go mad. And she could tell Smaug was getting frustrated with her constant silence and rebuffing him. His patience wouldn't hold much longer, she had to reach a decision, let things be as they were. The future could change, she above all people knew this. Nothing was set in stone: she only saw what current circumstances pointed to; it could all change with one choice.

She climbed out of the water, noting how her body was almost blue from cold. This didn't bother her too much, the warmth that Smaug gave off was enough to warm the huge treasure hall, she knew she would warm up as soon as she got back to him. Quickly drying her body and putting her clothes back on, she –

Kathryn hissed in pain suddenly as something hit her shoulder. She whirled around, clutching a burning pain in her shoulder-blade, but saw only a small rock by her feet. Frowning, she bent to pick it up, immediately noticing that it was not a rock but a crystal, and looking around, she could see that the room was dotted with them as they sparkled along the walls; and then she looked up to the ceiling. This was an old ruin of a room, many of the walls had collapsed long ago, and where water had found its way through the cracks over time it had weakened the structure all the more. Indeed, the ceiling looked as if it might collapse from the slightest pressure.

Quickly leaving the chamber, Kathryn wondered if she could talk to Smaug about it – obviously he wouldn't be able to do anything, but maybe he knew of another place in the mountain where she could bathe. A much safer place perhaps.

She slowly walked back to the treasure chamber, her mind once again returning to her dark thoughts. She sighed, knowing that perhaps it was time to talk with Smaug; this was her home and he her only companion, she had to make the best of the situation. Even if the truth of what she was getting into was most disturbing.

She entered the chamber, her feet adjusting to the change in terrain as she stepped over gold and treasure that gave ever so slightly under her weight. She made her way back to her sleeping place, putting her old clothes down by the tapestries, cushions and other soft materials that made up her nest-like bed. She was only dressed in simple clothes again, leather boots, soft breeches and a blouse covered with a pale tunic. She sighed, rubbing her aching neck as her body almost sagged with exhaustion. She hadn't been sleeping well lately either, her dreams of the human-Smaug were gone, but when she now dreamed with the real one, she would never be able to shake off the memories that would grip her.

Turning back around, she knew that she had to confront this problem, otherwise it would never –

Kathryn gave a small squeak of surprise as she turned to find Smaug standing above her, his gigantic mass made him so that she couldn't take in every part of him in one look. He stood tall so that his head was almost lost in the shadows, though she could see his glowing ember eyes that blazed down at her holding her gaze in an almost hypnotic stare. He was looking hard at her, a look that made her heart skip a beat, and she had to swallow loudly in order to force her voice past the lump in her throat.

"What is it?" she asked him, trying to keep her voice steady.

The dragon studied her, his gaze becoming harder as he took in every aspect of her face in a single look. Kathryn felt worry begin to form in her as she could practically see a battle being waged in the creature's mind. Whatever he was thinking it was troubling him greatly, she could tell by not only his hard stare, but by the way he was almost stone still, his joints locked rigidly into place. No matter if she had become frightened by his capabilities, when Kathryn saw him so troubled, she couldn't help but feel concern for him. She took a small step forward, her eyes imploring him to do or say something.

"Smaug?" she asked softly. Her voice seemed to bring the dragon back from his thoughts, as he looked at her… and she noticed how his face seemed very _blank_. He was usually so expressive yet unreadable at the same time, but now there was absolutely no emotion of any description, not even boredom or contempt or mockery. He still had that rigid posture, and Kathryn only felt her concern grow. But that quickly changed to dread as the dragon spoke.

"In a few moments, you will sing for me, I will fall asleep as I always do," he said, his voice still the same rich, deep hiss that it had always been, but like his face, it was lifeless. "But this time, I will sleep very deeply. You will then leave the mountain, I will not awaken to stop you; and you will leave my lands and you will go far away. You will not return. And do not tell me of where it is that you go." He watched her with unblinking, unreadable, burning eyes.

"W-what?!" Kathryn spluttered, utter shock and disbelief making her unable to process what the dragon had just said. "Smaug what are you talking about?"

"I release you," he said simply, but she saw that it took a lot more effort to say those words.

"What?! Why?!" She demanded. Was this Smaug? Was he under some spell? Smaug had been utterly furious when she had asked to go out for the day, now he was just letting her go? Surely this was not the Smaug she had come to know!

"Other mortals would rejoice, yet in your ignorance you still gawk blindly. You have served your purpose," The dragon said icily, looking down at her with a scrutinising gaze. "I no longer require your services."

"My services?!" Kathryn stood there with her mouth agape, outrage beginning to creep into her being, her fear long forgotten. "I was under the impression that "_my services_" were not for hire but mandatory! You took me here against my will to sing for you because you wanted my voice!"

"A voice that has lately been lacking in its grandeur; and you have now given me what I required from you as a seer. I know when the dwarves are coming, I need know nothing else. You are of no further use to me," he sneered, though he turned away so that he wasn't looking at her. He made it seem like a dismissal, but Kathryn knew it was anything but.

"So I am to be cast out like dirt you sweep out of your front door?!" she spat venomously at him, unable to control or explain the hurt that she felt cut through her soul at his words. "Am I so worthless –!"

"Do not test me, human!" The dragon snarled at her as he turned back to face her. "I have never given up one of my treasures before, push me any further and I may change my mind!" And Kathryn could see it in his eyes, how much he was struggling to keep control of himself. How he was one word away from losing that control and going on a rampage and withdrawing his command.

"So I am to just do what you say? You would force me to leave even if I do not want to?"

"Can you tell me that there is not one part of you that does not wish to go? That you would be happy to remain here and never again see the light of day?" he challenged her, his gaze filled with something she could not fuller decipher.

Kathryn remained silent, the words unable to leave her throat, though she wanted to answer straight away. She wanted to say 'yes', this was her home and she would not leave. But she felt that longing in her, a calling that she had felt after the flying dream, where she needed to see the sky, she needed open air. Her soul was crying out for what Smaug would never allow, and she felt suffocated and cramped within the halls with no sun above her, no matter if this was her home now.

Her hesitation seemed to be all of the answer that Smaug needed. He exhaled through his nose, a reptilian rumble like a growl rising in his throat as bitter anger bled from his hurtful gaze.

"Then **_go_**," he hissed in a low voice, turning from her once more.

Kathryn was left in utter shock, unable to move, unable to think, only breathe as she stood there, as if waiting for this to be some horrid nightmare that she would soon wake from. But it didn't, and she was left with this awful truth that stood before her. As if she were a puppet pulled on her strings by a puppeteer, she turned and went to her bed, looking at all the things she had come to call most precious to her. Her book of tales, the cup she had polished, various garments… she would leave it all here, they were never hers in the first place. She slowly reached for a cloak that she had been using for a blanket. A blue-green in colour, it was light but strong and durable. She tied it around her shoulders, her mind still in shock as her shaking hands simply did the actions of their own accord.

She then felt something touch the back of her hand. Looking down, she saw a single water drop on her knuckle. A tear? Reaching up to her face, she felt the wet track of the tear that had snaked down her cheek without her even noticing. Was she grieving to leave this place? She had wanted to be free for so long, she had wanted to be outside in the open air once again, she should be rejoicing, as Smaug said. So why did it _hurt_ so much to go?

Standing, Kathryn turned and saw that the dragon was watching her again, his eyes fierce as they glowed in the darkness, his clawed reptilian hands clenching into fists as he rooted himself in place as he watched her. She meant to walk past him, to not say another word, to not give him the satisfaction. But something made her stop, and turn to him, allowing him to see her confused and hurt eyes that glistened in the dim light.

"Am I really so expendable?" she murmured, trying to ignore how her voice was cracking from the strain of all her emotions as the shock slowly gave way.

He only watched her for what seemed like an eternity, and she stood there, waiting for his reply.

"No. You're not." He said in the softest voice Kathryn had ever heard from him.

"Where am I to go?" she asked finally, closing her eyes as she forced herself to speak.

"I know not," he said simply. "And if you value your new found _freedom_ then I suggest that you never tell me," he growled at her in a vicious warning.

Kathryn glared at him, standing there defiantly before him, wanting to go, but finding her feet rooted in place.

"But know this," The dragon said, suddenly snaking his head forward, until his massive face was only inches away from hers, so that she could see every scale on his horrific muzzle, smell his rancid breath and look at nothing else but his gorgeous eyes that captivated her attention. When he spoke, it was a deep, warning sound like the distant rumble of thunder before the storm struck. "The moment you step inside my lands again, I will take you back, and you'll never again leave these halls. And… should anyone, man, elf or dwarf, steal what is _mine_, I will tear down every city, burn every forest, scour every inch of this world until I find you and take you back."

"Then why release me at all?" she demanded, watching him closely.

"You have served me well, so let it not be said that I do not repay my debts," he came closer, forcing Kathryn to back up until she suddenly found herself pressed against the stone of a gigantic column, trapped with Smaug's head directly in front of her, so that she could feel his almost scalding hot breath as it washed over her body. "And besides, I know how this game will end. You'll come back to me."

"You're so sure?" she tried to stop her voice from trembling with anticipation, but of what… she didn't entirely know.

"I know you. I know your heart, for it is mine to keep," Smaug gave a smug smirk. He then leaned his head back as he reached forward with a talon. Kathryn felt her breath leave her as she suddenly felt the deadly point of the claw touch her head, sweeping through her hair as she felt the tip trace along her scalp and then follow the line of her throat. Kathryn was almost speechless, for never had she been in awe of the dragon's power more than in that moment, the exact precision that he used to just lightly touch her with the end of a claw, yet with but a twitch he could decapitate her. "You belong to me _Kathryn_… mind, body and soul…"

Kathryn felt a shiver run down her spine as she heard him purr out her name on a whisper. But then she felt his talon move again as he traced the line of her throat down the centre of her chest until the deadly appendage hovered above her frantically beating heart. They stood absolutely still for a long moment, just staring at each other to see what the other would do. But then, Smaug moved away, and Kathryn released the breath she hadn't even realised she'd been holding, almost sagging against the stone behind her.

"This is my only offer, Kathryn. I advise that you take it while you can," he growled softly and turned away from her again.

Once again, Kathryn was left standing there, unable to comprehend what had just happened. She felt hurt slice through her once again, and tried to hold back her tears as she picked herself up and made to leave, walking in the general direction of the main doors that would lead to the rest of the fortress.

"Wait."

She froze at the sound of his voice as he called out to her. Had he changed his mind? She turned back to face him, looking at him apprehensively with wide expectant eyes. The dragon stalked towards her, his footsteps making the ground shake as he came closer and closer.

As he loomed above her, he reached forward with a clenched fist. Kathryn watched him nervously as the hand came closer to her. But then, he suddenly opened his palm and dropped something onto the floor in front of her.

Kathryn looked at him, perplexed for a moment, but then stooped down and picked up the object from the gold-covered ground. It was something rather large and flat, rough and bumpy in texture but strong on the outside yet slightly softer at one end. It was pointed at the other end and so large that she could fit it in both her palms. It was gold in colour, the same as the scales of Smaug's underbelly –

Eyes widening, Kathryn snapped her head up to look at Smaug in disbelief, her mouth hanging open. He stared back at her, his eyes unblinking. Kathryn looked over his neck and chest, until finally she saw a small bare patch where a single scale was missing on his left breast just under the left wing, closest to his heart. Kathryn suddenly remembered her vision, of the Lord on the Wind-Lance, firing arrow after arrow until he hit the dragon on the left side of his chest, the arrow bouncing away harmlessly. He must have loosened the scale from the impact; that was why it was missing.

"Is this –?"

"It is," Smaug rumbled. Kathryn was again left speechless.

"Why?" she couldn't help but ask breathlessly.

"Consider it as one last parting gift… and a reminder of who you belong to,"

"But… I-I can't," she stammered. "You need –"

"Do you believe that I, the great and terrible Smaug can be harmed by _one little scale_?" he snorted derisively.

"Then… thank you," she said softly.

Smaug then leant forward, bringing his face close to her again until he was looming over her. His scaly brows frowned as if he were in deep concentration, his jaw locking slightly. Kathryn then saw his eyes glow a brighter gold as they rolled into the back of his head, and his throat expanded and his chest glowed with a frightening beauty just as it did before he breathed fire. He then slowly opened his jaws, until Kathryn was staring right into the back of his throat, seeing every sharp and deadly tooth and his long black tongue that curled in his mouth.

And then, she felt his breath as he breathed on her, almost hot enough to burn her but she almost enjoyed the warmth as it washed over her, throwing her hair back. And then she felt it, a small hum in her bones that quickly grew until she could feel a vibration that was strung across her body. She felt a strange presence seek out something inside of her, searching through until it found something at her very core. A magic, a magic unlike anything she had every felt before drove its way into her body, and she felt her own magic respond to it as the two beings latched onto each other, twisting and morphing so that they became linked, and Kathryn could feel it as she felt a small tug upon her very soul.

And then, it was over, as Smaug closed his jaws, his eyes returning to normal as he then looked at her, almost expectantly. Kathryn was left breathless and utterly lost for words. She had no idea what had just happened, but she still felt the after effects deep in her core.

"But… how… what just …" she mumbled, unable to form coherent thoughts as she tried to think over what had just happened.

"Meeting me half way," he murmured, so softly that Kathryn almost didn't hear him.

"Thank you," she whispered to him.

"All I ask, is that you sing for me. One last song. Then, you may leave."

"Yes," she answered straight away without question.

Smaug then lay down upon his horde of gold, quickly closing his eyes and sighing as he lay there comfortably. Kathryn watched him, unable to tear her gaze away from him as she took in every single aspect of his magnificent beauty. Truly, he was a marvel to behold. She wondered briefly if she should just sing and be done with it. But no, she thought passionately, that would only cheapen this moment, if this was to be their last song, then she wanted it to be something special.

Bravely, Kathryn mustered all of her courage as she walked across the gold towards him. She came up until she was standing right beside his massive head that was as tall as she was! She looked at his closed eyes, seeming to be so peaceful, even when she knew he wasn't asleep, it was a rare moment to see something so fierce and destructive be so calm and serene. Again, pushing herself before she could think twice, Kathryn sat down beside him… and leant her body against his cheek.

She felt every muscle in him stiffen at her unexpected contact, but then suddenly relax as he rumbled somewhere deep inside of him, welcoming her, and she felt the vibrations against her face. It was almost a shock to be reminded at how warm he was, his scales seemed like coals, radiating heat in waves and Kathryn quickly felt any cold she ever felt leave her, as she pressed herself close against him.

The gnawing pit deep inside of her quickly grew as it choked her, and she felt another wave of emotion hit her full force. She had to bite her tongue and hold her breath to try and fight back the tears that threatened to wash her face in sorrow.

When she felt as if she had herself under some semblance of control, she sang the only song that her heart would allow; and she sang like never before, putting all that she ever had been, what she was, and what she ever would be into it, every emotion, every feeling, her entire soul! She put it all into that song, as her last gift to him.

"_In dreams we'll meet, I promise you,_

_We'll go to a place that only you knew_

_In your eyes, I hear you say,_

_You'll take the hurt and the pain away_

_There is no hate, there is no pride_

_In our place there is nothing to hide…_

_In dreams we meet, when night falls still,_

_In sleep I know that we are real_

_In your embrace, we meet again,_

_Then we fly to gods know when,_

_We dance and sing, all through the night,_

_Till we part again and dark yields to light…_

_In dreams we met one time ago, _

_A child's game, we weren't to know_

_That all things come to an end_

_Yet in your kiss I awaken and ascend_

_If this is forbidden, let us rebel_

_For in night we rule where stars dwell..._

_So when all around us crumbles and falls,_

_And all that remains is empty halls,_

_Till then, one day when the sun is gone,_

_With you I will always hold on_

_With love both bitter and sweet_

_Until, in dreams we meet..."_

Kathryn was unaware that she was crying until she finished and noticed that her cheeks were flooded with warm tears. For some reason, as she had sang, utter truth had been brought forth in her, until she couldn't stop the tears that refused to stop in her grief. She was left with the utter shocking and heart wrenching revelation as her heart finally soared from its prison.

_I love him…_ she thought to herself, mouth agape as she stared at the great dragon before her.

He was asleep, if his soft rumbling snores were anything to go by.

Not caring if he was aware enough to notice, only spurred by how powerful what she felt for him was. She stood up and leant forward, her ruby hair draping over his scales, the slight golden highlights making her seem to melt into his very being. She hovered just above his closed eye, her hands braced upon his spiked, ridged cheekbone.

And then she slowly leant forward and kissed his eyelid, letting her lips linger for just a moment as she allowed all of her love to be conveyed in that one kiss.

_Valar forgive me…_ she almost wept in sadness, _I love him…_

* * *

Smaug opened his eyes as he came around from his slumber. He didn't know how long he had slept, it could have been three hours, it could have been three days, he couldn't tell. But as he awoke into consciousness, he looked around the vast treasure chamber, noticing that he couldn't see any signs of life.

Quickly raising his head, he peered around, looking for anything, any sign that she was still there. He scented the air for any hint of her sweet scent, his eyes searched for any sign of her passing, his hearing stretched to its limit as he listened for even the slightest sigh of her breath.

The silence was deafening.

Smaug roared. He roared so loudly that the cavern physically shook with the force of his voice. He was practically screaming in anger and grief.

When dragons felt emotions, if they did not have master control over themselves, then they felt them to the extreme: anger was blinding, murdering, fury, happiness was over-the-moon, absolute joy. Smaug had no control of his emotions now. And the sadness that now ate at his soul was all consuming, heart breaking, and unimaginable sorrow.

She was gone. And he had driven her away.

He roared again as his heart gave another painful lurch at just the memory of her, of her beautiful voice, her dazzling eyes, the fire in her heart!

He smashed his tail into a column, snapping it in two from his ferocious strength. He bellowed a belly full of fire, twisting his head to shower the world around him in bright, burning flames!

Unsatisfied that his anguish had not been fully dispelled, Smaug charged from the halls of Erebor, climbing and snaking his way through the halls as he furiously sought the light. He burst from the mountain with a roar and a wave of flame and smoke, quickly taking to the air as he did so.

For an hour he soared around his lands, burning everything below, wreathing his flames onto the land until it was all nothing but ash and desolation. He poured all of his fury, all of his misery into those flames, making it burn so hot that he was sure that nothing would ever grow upon the landscape again. The land was now a waste, everything gone, where nature had sought to grow he had destroyed as was in his nature.

When he finally returned to the mountain, dawn was breaking, revealing his destruction in all its bloody, fiery, murderous glory. Smaug paused at the entrance, looking back out onto the world he had left behind, as if he could conjure into being the one that he sought. But he would keep his word, he would make sure of it. So turning to the front gates, he reared back onto his hind legs, and smashed his body into the stone. There was a rumble like an earthquake as the rock threatened to cave-in, but that was just what he wanted. With a roar of effort, he beat himself again the stones, thrashing at it with body, claw and tail until he could feel the pain in his body, though it was nothing compared to the ache in his heart. But finally, the rocks gave way and tumbled into the entrance, effectively sealing the front gate, so no outsiders could get in, and he couldn't get out without breaking it down. Turning away, he then went straight to his horde, basking in the glow of the gold as he entered the treasure hall. Roaring once again in misery, he quickly dived into his treasure, burying himself deep beneath it, allowing all of the gold to cascade and bury him so that he was completely covered in it.

Over these past months, something within Smaug had begun to change. In Kathryn's presence, there had been some part of him that had sought out the light, had been brought forth because of her, had wrapped itself around her so that only she could see it. But now she was gone, and with her, that growing thing inside of him had now receded, withdrawing back to the dark and twisted place from whence it came. His most precious treasure was gone, but at least he had the vast wealth of the Lonely Mountain still. Gold did not have a soul, gold could not make him _feel_, gold could not leave him, only if it was stolen.

And he would kill anyone who dared to try.

But there was one hope that still sparked inside of him as he felt something pull at his soul. Kathryn had sung to him a promise to meet in dreams…

And so he would make sure they would.

* * *

**Author's Note: Before the hate mail comes, can I just remind people that this is a 21-ish chapter long story, so there is still plenty more to come, it is not over yet. **

**Okay guys, I'm not going to lie, this chapter made me tear up a little bit during writing. I would like to shout a thank you to Limadunia for helping with a dilemma in this chapter. **

**And now guys, time to review! Tell me what you think of: Smaug's internal conflict? His decision to let Kathryn go? Kathryn's last song? Her leaving? Smaug's "grief"? Please, I crave reviews, they help me develop the story better and also give me motivation to give you guys the next chapter quicker. All feedback welcome. **

**Thanks, I love you guys and hope to see you all in the next chapter! :) x**


	15. Chapter 15 - In Dreams We Meet

**Author's Note: Hi everyone, so big thank you to everyone who reviewed, my gosh I love you all so much for your love and praise from the last chapter! :') And I know some of you still have questions, but I hope that this chapter clears a lot of things up before we move on. **

**For the song in this chapter, if you click on youtube, and type in "Miery - Song of the Lonely Mountain Cover", that's the version I use for this song. And I'd like to thank ilovedracoDH for this suggestion, even though she made it some time ago. See, I listen ;) **

**Hope you enjoy this chapter. And please review. **

* * *

Chapter 15 – In Dreams We Meet

"Echoes from the shadow realm, whispers of things yet to come. Thought's strange sister dwells in night, is swept away by dawning light. Of what do I speak? Dreams"

* * *

Kathryn wandered the wilds of Middle-Earth, at first numb and weary as her heart ached to turn around and go back to the mountain. Indeed, she caught herself on more than one occasion turning to look back at the silhouette of Erebor upon the horizon. But, with a heavy heart, she forced herself onward.

At first, she travelled south, going out of her way to the east in order to avoid the Long Lake of Esgaroth, and subsequently the Men of the Lake in Lake-Town. She had no way of knowing if Smaug would change his mind and go after her, or if he would keep his word, and so she didn't want the people of Lake-Town to suffer should he follow her to the town. She almost made her tracks clear as she went far eastward and then south, so that there would be no question in the dragon's mind as to where she had gone.

It took her three days to journey further south, she managed to survive by catching rabbits in the wilderness and creating small fires at night from mere shrubbery. It was during this time that a robber encountered her, a thin old man on his own, driven half mad by the elements and loneliness. It was almost easy for Kathryn to overpower him and take his knife, provisions of food and blankets to keep herself warm at night. She left him the gold he'd already stolen, she didn't need it. She had already seen enough of it to last a life time.

Kathryn journeyed to the marshes miles south of Lake-Town, where the Elven Road came out of Mirkwood, and she could perhaps journey through it. With nothing but her own stolen provisions, she made her way through the forest via the road. But Kathryn was no fool, she knew of the stories, that the air of the forest itself was heavy and polluted with the magic of illusion, that it would seek to send all travellers astray to their demise. Horrific creatures of nightmares stalked beneath the canopy of the trees, waiting for any who fell prey to the spell of the forest in order to make an easy meal. But Kathryn was almost unfazed by this, she had been living with the king of all nightmarish creatures, it almost seemed laughable that she should be afraid of anything when compared to him. So, Kathryn used a scarf she had stolen from the robber in order to drape it around her face, protecting her nose and mouth. She then removed her boots and left her feet bare upon the road, so that she would not wander from the path without getting a painful reminder in the soles of her feet every time she left the stone.

It took her two days to journey completely through the forest, and the entire time she didn't sleep, she hardly stopped to eat or rest. She merely continued to walk, her knife constantly out and at the ready encase she should be attacked. To stop the magic of the forest from entering her mind, she kept herself occupied by doing her usual mental exercises over and over in her head. She was surprisingly undisturbed, not by the Woodelves or the creatures that inhabited the forest. With the former, she guessed that they were too busy or had better things to do then constantly watch the road for travellers. With the later, she would wager that it may have been due to the fact that she had the very distinctive scent of _Dragon_ on her.

But when she finally stumbled out of the forest and back into the open, she was so exhausted and bone weary that she practically collapsed upon the ground. She had been pulled into unconsciousness, and it was then, that she first dreamed with Smaug again. He came to her from the darkness, a beacon of golden and scarlet light, his eyes burning like the brightest fire as he came to her. In the dream he had found her weary soul and wrapped his coils around her, giving her warmth and life. Kathryn had been inclined to believe that it was just her imagination, that she was dreaming an image of him from her mind. But when her body began to awaken and the dream faded and Smaug along with it, she felt a _pull_ on her soul as she left him, with a promise echoing around in her mind, that he would wait.

She had awoken to be in the cart of a family that had been travelling west. A mere merchant with his wife and brother, three daughters, two sons and a nephew, they had a huge cart that they had draped Kathryn in to treat her. They had found her upon the road, unconscious and half dead, and so did all they could to help. She had suffered a slight fever from malnourishment, and they gladly fed her and kept her warm so that she would not die. They were a humble family travelling from their home in a small Village outside of Framsburg and were travelling to see their kin in Ost-in-Edhil.

Kathryn travelled with them for many days as they made their way along the great east road and up into the pass of the Misty Mountains. During this time, she came to know of the family, and was almost surprised that they didn't know what her purple eyes meant, and so treated her as they would any other normal human being. In this bliss, Kathryn would have surely stayed, but she knew that if nothing else, her heart would have set her apart from them. Besides, she didn't want to go to Ost-in-Edhil, she needed somewhere remote, somewhere close to humans so that she could survive, but far enough away that she could live in peace. She decided that she would split from the family when they reached the forests outside of Rivendell, the family would journey south whilst she would continue west.

But during her time with the family, the uncle did manage to help Kathryn with turning her scale into a precious necklace. He did not know what it was, for surely none of them would know what a dragon scale would look like, he merely thought it was a strange heirloom. He helped Kathryn pierce the softer end of the scale, where it would have met Smaug's flesh if attached to his body, it took a great deal of work and sharpening the knife several times, but they managed to make it work and pierced a small hole in the top. Kathryn then took a leather cord and threaded it through the hole and tied the ends at the back of her neck. It was perfect! Sturdy enough to keep the scale around her neck like a necklace without breaking or getting worn, and it was long enough that Kathryn could hide the scale beneath the neckline of her blouse, where the scale would rest just above her heart.

When they parted ways at Rivendell, Kathryn was almost sad to see the family go; but she knew that the less they had to do with her, the better. She had stopped in Rivendell to hopefully get a small amount of coin from doing odd jobs and small work here and there, so that she could buy provisions and then get directions for the next part of her journey. But whilst she was there, she found that the hospitality of the elves was very… surprising. They seemed more than happy to give her work in order to help out, they were forever polite and kind to her, even wanting to give her food and shelter when she couldn't possibly pay for either. Kathryn was rather… humbled by this generosity.

She intended to only stay there a week; she would have gathered enough coin to buy provisions, and not only that but she could feel her magic was getting restless as it was surrounded by the magical allure of the elves. And besides, she didn't want to endanger these people should Smaug come looking for her. She loved him, she was now not afraid to admit that, even to herself; but not even love could hide the fact that he wouldn't hesitate to leave a path of destruction and murder in his quest to find her. It was Kathryn's responsibility to prevent the worst of that at all costs.

It was during the last few days of her scheduled stay, that Kathryn met the Lord Elrond.

She had been helping a group of elves that were transporting barrels of wine from the district to the House of Lord Elrond, the great Elven Lord himself thanked them for their hard work, and as they gave him their gratitude, the Lord stopped Kathryn. She had frozen in place as he had gazed at her, particularly staring into her eyes. She noted that he was very handsome, even for elves who were all marvellously beautiful. He had long, straight, shimmering brown hair with a circlet like a crown upon his brow. He had deep, dark eyes and a very straight face with a thin mouth. His every movement was regal and elegant, even when he breathed. He had approached Kathryn, a frown of amazement on his face as he studied her.

"_T__harŷliel_," he murmured in his beautiful elven tongue. Kathryn did not know what he said, but she felt a shiver of power run through her, as if he had named her.

"My lord?" she merely asked, trying not to show how unnerved she was by his stare.

"Come with me, child," he told her, gently offering her his arm, and hesitantly, so as not to appear rude, Kathryn took it and allowed him to lead her up into his great home. He led her to a study, or at least Kathryn guessed by the many scrolls, bookshelves, great arm chairs and a desk in the room. Kathryn sat down in the chair offered to her, and Elrond quickly took his seat opposite her, offering her a goblet of wine which she kindly refused.

"My lord, I don't know what it is I –"

"You are of the old magic: you are a seer," Elrond said simply, his eyes hard as he studied her.

Kathryn froze in place, her heart seizing as she tried to figure out what to do. Should she flee? Should she talk her way out?

"Be calm, dear child," Elrond said softly, holding out a hand as if to gently stop her from running. "I promise that I am of no threat to you,"

"How did you know?!" Kathryn said breathlessly, her heart refusing to stop pounding as she thought of what he would do.

"A lot of things can be said about someone by their eyes." Was all Elrond would say as he sipped from his own goblet.

"So what will you do now?" Kathryn asked, prepared to bolt at the first opportunity. Elrond seemed to notice how rigidly she sat, how her whole body seemed to be drawn tight like a bow string. He leaned forward, a gently laid his hand upon her own, and only then did Kathryn realise that she was shaking slightly.

"I do not know what you have faced in your life, dear child; but I assure you, you will receive no harsh treatment here," he said to her solemnly, his eyes deadly serious.

For some reason that seemed to calm Kathryn, and she relaxed enough to listen to Elrond without her heart tripping over itself.

"I still ask: what now?" she murmured, watching him with slightly wary eyes.

"What happens now is whatever you wish," Elrond said, leaning back in his seat once again. "Though I hope you will stay. You are young, surely you have not fully mastered your powers yet,"

"No," Kathryn said, looking at the floor as her cheeks burned with embarrassment at her own inability.

"How long have you had these powers?"

"Since I was six. I will be twenty years of age come the harvest," she told him truthfully.

"Harvest is not that far off, a few weeks, maybe more," Elrond said. "That is a long time to have magic and not be able to control it,"

"You know of magic?" she asked, a small flicker of hope dawning in her chest.

"We elves do not like to call our gifts 'magic', you might say." Elrond's lips twitched into a half smile as he took another sip from his wine. "But yes, I know of what you speak."

"Could you be able to teach me?" she asked, much quicker then she would have liked, but her eager hope couldn't be suppressed.

"I do not have Raw Magic myself," Elrond murmured. "Though I do have some knowledge on the matter. But I can get in touch with some wizards who would be more then able to help you –"

"No!" Kathryn said, a little too loudly. "No," she said again, softer. "Please my Lord, I beg of you to keep this a secret. All I've ever known is people who either shun me or covet me. The wizards may insist I go with them to their fortress to learn there. All I want is freedom; grant me that My Lord, I beg you!"

Elrond seemed moved by her words, for he blinked at her in a most surprised manner. He studied her for a long while, as if weighing the decision he was about to make. But finally, he nodded.

"Very well, I give you my word." He said.

And so over the next few weeks, Lord Elrond took Kathryn into his household, he gave her wonderful clothes, a fine guest room within his house, and wonderful food the likes of which she had never known. He treated her like a high-born lady, and Kathryn was almost humbled by such treatment. The mornings she was given to roam Rivendell at her leisure and spend as she wished, and every evening Elrond would spend hours with her teaching her control. Kathryn learned a lot in those few short weeks, she couldn't do much to help with her visions – her time with Smaug had already taught her everything she needed to know. But Elrond did teach her how to control her magic that much better. She learned how to channel it, how to not allow her emotions to completely rule her; and also, that because of the power of Raw Magic, she should never use too much at once. For unlike normal magic used by wizards and sorcerers, raw magic needed a body in order to transfer its wrath unto the physical world from where it manifested in a spirit-like realm, the same as with the One Ring; and in order to bring it forth, Kathryn used her own energy in order to do so. She could already understand this, for when she had used magic before, had she not felt weakened by it, exhausted after use? Elrond explained that should she use too much, not only could it knock her unconscious, but it could also kill her if she was not careful.

Kathryn enjoyed her time in Rivendell; for by day she was free, and forever learning of her capabilities and interacting with other beings who did not scorn her, who even treated her as an equal, despite her "gift". And then at night, she dreamed with Smaug, every single time she went to sleep, without fail he would come to her and she would lose herself in dreams of him. And every morning when she awoke, her heart would ache as she was painfully reminded of her love of him. But it was getting easier to bear, and so long as no one else knew, she would be fine.

But it was easy to forget the passage of time amongst the elves, who remained forever eternal and young and beautiful. The harvest was almost upon them, when Kathryn realised that she had already stayed with the elves for too long. She now knew enough to keep herself hidden amongst other humans, and so discussed with Elrond where she might go. He suggested a number of places, and in all truth, Kathryn was tempted to return to Enedwaith, the province of her childhood home, where her village had once been. But she quickly decided against it: her family was dead, there was nothing for her to go back to. But Elrond did suggest a small village to the west, by the Weather Hills; it would be on her journey on the East Road, a small town called Bree. The lands to the north in "Bree-Land" were mainly deserted other than by the few farms here and there. Kathryn decided that it was perfect, and Elrond was the only one who knew of her destination.

"So you will be leaving us then?" Elrond had asked her, his eyes slightly sad as he watched her like a father would his beloved daughter. Perhaps he was a father, Kathryn thought with a smile, for he seemed to have that caring yet strong air about him, and he had sometimes reminded her of a fatherly-figure.

"I have already stayed too long, and know that I will always be eternally grateful for you hospitality and help. You have given me a gift beyond measure," she told him sincerely, meaning every single word of it.

"Kathryn child, you leave and plan your journey as if death itself hunted you," Elrond sighed.

_You have no idea,_ Kathryn thought to herself. She then felt his hand as he placed it upon her shoulder in an almost comforting gesture, and she looked up at him with wide eyes.

"I know a weary traveller when I see it," he said softly, in that all-knowing kind of way that he seemed to have. "You have always been running Kathryn, never stopping,"

"The east is not a very forgiving territory," she murmured mostly to herself, but of course Elrond heard her.

"You've come from the east?" he asked curiously. "Where in the east?"

"Close to Esgaroth you might say," she forced a smile, thinking that after all he had done for her, Elrond deserved at least half the truth. Even if he would never have believed the full truth anyway.

"Then indeed, you have travelled far and still on you go," Elrond said, but she saw the suspicious look that flashed across his eyes, but thankfully he let it be. "Just know Kathryn, that should you ever wish to seek refuge, you are always welcome here,"

"I know." Kathryn smiled. "And thank you."

The day she departed, was her twentieth birthday.

Kathryn then travelled along the great East Road, making her way further west. It almost took her a month, but eventually, she managed to find her way to Bree. She managed to once again get odd jobs around the town, earning coin where she could, though she tried to avoid the locals as much as possible. Despite how lovely it had been to be unnoticed amongst the people of Rivendell, she would not push her luck, especially with how superstitious humans could be. She created the fiction that she was a widow from a very far off place in the North, Threndryn, and was now seeking refuge from a fire that took her home and husband. The locals seemed to accept this, and so let her be.

But just before the winter struck, Kathryn found herself in the home of an old couple that lived north of Bree, with just a few chickens, pigs and goats and a vegetable patch to their name as well as their humble cottage. They had no family, no kin of their own with which to help take care of them in their last years. And so, Kathryn came to an arrangement with them, that they would give her accommodation and food within their home, and she would help to look after them and work with their animals and plants where they couldn't. It was a modest living, and Kathryn enjoyed it, looking after these simple folk gave her purpose, and whenever she saw them look at each other, the complete love and adoration that they held for one another was truly moving, and Kathryn often smiled, unable to wait until she fell asleep and dreamt with Smaug once again.

After a year of living with the elderly couple, they sadly passed away in their sleep, Kathryn found them huddled together, hands held as they lay side by side, a blissful look upon their faces as they slept eternally together. Kathryn had buried them, with the help of the town minister, she hoped to give them the funeral they deserved. For although her time with them had been brief, they had always been kind to her, ever understanding and always able to make her smile no matter what. And because they had no kin of their own, in their legal documents, they left everything they had ever possessed: their cottage, their animals, their crops, and everything on their lands, they left it all to her.

And so Kathryn found her home, in the north of Bree, able to live independently with minimum contact with the town of Bree. And she was undisturbed; it was what she had been searching for when she had first gone to Dale. And there she remained.

And every single night without fail, she and Smaug wandered in dreams together.

* * *

As Kathryn finished her tale at last, the sun was beginning to set, the fiery orange and yellow rays shining in through her kitchen window. She watched the light for a moment, entranced as she was reminded of burning eyes and caverns of gold. Taking in a shuddering breath to steady herself, she quickly reached up to wipe away the tracks of her tears, before looking at the old wizard who sat across the table from her. He had his pipe back in his mouth, but his eyes seemed so sad as he looked at her, almost mournful.

"And now you know my full tale," Kathryn said, trying to force a smile onto her lips. She had told him everything; well, everything except _private_ things that he had no business knowing, that, and the scale that was still hidden beneath her blouse. She would take that secret to her grave before she told anyone about it.

"I am sorry," Gandalf said in a soft voice, and truly he meant it, the sincerity in his voice was almost enough to make her eyes water again. But she fought back the tears, and tried to act brave for him.

"There's nothing to forgive," her lips twitched into a reassuring smile. "So Lord Elrond sent you, did he?" she asked finally.

"You didn't believe me about the birds?" he smiled back at her, his eyes twinkling with soft humour.

"Radagast, perhaps. You, not for a second,"

"Please know that he did not give up information about you easily, only when I persisted in asking," Gandalf tried to reassure her.

"I know he wouldn't," Kathryn agreed. "So does he know that I went to the mountain?"

"No, he still believes that you came from Esgaroth, but I heard rumours that someone had been to the mountain and survived. And the fact that those rumours existed and Lord Elrond's little maiden from Esgaroth, well, my curiosity was piqued." Gandalf explained with another puff on his pipe.

Kathryn smiled, shaking her head with amusement. She then got up and went to tend to the fire, for the cold nights would soon be drawing in; summer was past its peak, it would soon be waning and autumn would then take its place.

"Speaking of rumours," Gandalf said suddenly, coughing and grumbling, making a show of trying to carry on a normal conversation – but was a point that greatly interested him. Kathryn almost had to laugh at his tact.

"The trouble with rumours is that sometimes they're only half truths," she said as she turned back from the fire in order to make her way back to him.

"That may be so, but this one is rather odd." Gandalf said softly, but his sharp eyes watched her like a hawk. "They say that the front gates of Erebor are sealed, that no one can get in, and that the Great Dragon Smaug has not been seen for sixty years. They say that he's been sleeping all this time,"

"Yes," Kathryn said with a sigh, making it appear as if she were considering the words as if they were nothing, when truly she was choosing her words with the utmost care. "I have heard of the same rumours, even this far west."

"And what is your opinion?"

"Truly?" she asked, wandering if she could tell him, but decided best to, for she had told him almost everything else. "That is the one rumour that I'm inclined to believe whole heartedly. Whenever I sleep, Gandalf, Smaug is always there waiting for me. It's never me that has to wait for him, he's always there, ready for me. I suppose, he didn't know where I was and when I would sleep, so it only seemed logical perhaps, for him to fall asleep and wait for me to come to him, rather than guess and miss me. He's been sleeping for this entire time… waiting for me each night," her voice grew quiet, an emotion building within her that she could hardly contain.

"For sixty years?"

"You make me feel so old when you say it like that. Eru, has it truly been sixty years since I left him?"

"And you haven't aged a day?" Gandalf asked, almost mystified.

"Not one." Kathryn whispered, looking at Gandalf eye to eye, her gaze deadly serious as a heavy silence sat upon them. "I should be eighty years old, on my death bed or slowly allowing old age to take me. But instead, I'm still as young and healthy as the day I left him."

"Remarkable," Gandalf murmured as if in awe.

"Hardly," Kathryn snorted. "Merely the effects of Dragon-Magic."

"You do not believe it is more than that?"

"And you do?" she countered.

"Of course," he answered straight away, not missing a beat. "Smaug may have used his magic in order to link you to him for the sake of dreams, but it was his love of you that linked your life to him. And I'm not entirely sure that he is aware of this; or at least, not in the beginning. Surely he knows now, but at first I'm not sure if that was his intention: more, his heart could not be broken from you. His blessing upon you has surely linked you to him and him to you, most likely, you are connected both in mind and spirit," he then looked at her with soft, old eyes that seemed to hold all the wisdom of the stars themselves. "That is surely more precious than gold,"

"Yet it still didn't stop him from allowing his greed to come before such love," she couldn't keep the bitterness out of her voice.

"You could have returned if you wanted," Gandalf pointed out. "If ever anyone could change him, it was you,"

"That is where you're wrong," Kathryn looked at him sternly. "I never changed him, Gandalf, I only saw a different side to him, a side that was for me and no one else. He will not give up that mountain, not even if I begged him. He would merely take me back and kill you and Thorin Oakenshield and whoever else stood in his way."

"So you will not come with us?"

"I think you'd find my presence more of a deadly hindrance then an asset. He would merely think I was forced to join you as a bargaining chip, that would only make him all the more furious," Kathryn told him, her eyes wandering to the flames of the fire. "But you will still go ahead with your quest?"

"I must. Not only is the throne of Erebor Thorin's birth-right, but soon darker minds will turn to that mountain. And I would not like to see what should happen if they prevailed," Gandalf murmured gravely.

"The enemy that you fear," Kathryn said looking at him with an old terror buried deep within her eyes. For as long as she lived, she would never forget that vision, she would never forget that evil darkness in the body of a man that had looked right at her. "Smaug may be wicked Gandalf, but he is not pure evil." She told him softly. "The enemy may offer him many things, and he may be tempted, but I think he would refuse."

"You believe so?"

"Yes. But I still urge you to beware this enemy. I believe you when you say he is coming back." She looked back to the flames, her heart beginning to race with fear as she saw the eye wreathed in flame in her mind. "An evil like that cannot be truly vanquished forever," she whispered darkly.

They sat in another heavy silence for what seemed like an eternity.

"You have spoken to Thorin Oakenshield then?" Kathryn asked finally, breaking the silence.

"Yes; I am to accompany him and twelve other dwarves on this journey," Gandalf explained.

"And you're all set?"

"Thorin is attending a meeting with his kin. But we are all to meet tomorrow evening. I am to find the fourteenth member… our little burglar." Gandalf gave a knowing smile but offered no explanation.

"I will only say this to you Gandalf," Kathryn said in a voice that was barely above a whisper. "Be careful in this venture… you might not be aware of the consequences."

"What do you mean?" Gandalf asked in a guarded voice as his eyes narrowed down at her suspiciously.

"_And the Bells will Ring in Gladness, at the Mountain King's Return. But all shall Fail in Sadness, and the Lake will Shine and Burn_." Kathryn whispered, her tone deep and seeming to take on a form of all-knowing. Gandalf would have been lying if he didn't say that the hairs at the back of his neck rose with dread and foreboding at her words.

Another silence descended upon them as they both drank in the words.

"I think it's time you left," Kathryn said softly, rising to her feet as she went to stand by the fire. She heard the old wizard sigh, and then his movements as he picked up his cloak and hat and staff. The scent of the Tabaco was fading already as he had doused the flame, and Kathryn could almost feel him leaving as he went to the door.

"Wait." She called out, turning to face him.

Gandalf stood by the door, his hand already on the latch, looking back at her with curious, expectant eyes. She breathed for but a moment, her eyes glistening with sadness as she made to him her request.

"Promise me that you will not kill him," she whispered. "Promise me that you will do everything in your power to make sure that those dwarves do no more than drive him out. I know it sounds impossible! But please! If not for the fact that I love him, then for the fact that he is one of the last of his kind, the last of the Fire-Drakes! Surely he should live if only to preserve that memory of what they once were. Whatever wrongs he may have done, don't let it destroy his entire race. Please…" she begged.

Gandalf watched her for what seemed like a long moment, his eyes sad as he knew that this was a promise he couldn't keep, but had to try.

Finally, he sighed and nodded to her.

"Very well. I give you my word that as long as I am in the Company, I will do what I can for him," he vowed solemnly.

"Thank you," she whispered to him.

Gandalf nodded to her his goodbyes, and left.

Kathryn stood there, alone in the house, watching the flames of the fire that danced and crackled, the night dark and still all around her.

She thought over everything Gandalf had said, of Erebor, and of the enemy that would do very well to have a dragon on its side. Would Smaug join the enemy? If given sufficient cause, then maybe, but otherwise not. It would leave his precious gold unguarded if he were to go to war, and he would be under no illusions that the enemy would keep his promises, and would try to take the gold in order to fund his armies. Smaug would have none of that; and if he did join him, the evil of such a thing would cause him to become a twisted and horrid image of what he was. His vanity would never allow that. She had been right, Smaug was not pure evil, he was only greedy. He had spent two centuries in Erebor, and had been content to allow Middle-Earth to run itself, so long as he and his horde were not disturbed, and he would want to keep it that way. But if he refused, would the enemy come knocking on his door to force his cooperation?

This could only end one of three ways: one, the dwarves would kill him, despite Gandalf's promise. Two, Smaug would kill the dwarves and then the dreaded enemy would come charging at him to force him to join their cause. Or three, the dwarves would either drive him out or fail in their quest, and then Smaug would _willingly_ join the enemy in order to seek revenge on the dwarves and all their kin.

And then she thought of Smaug, of their time together, of everything they were. It had been sixty years, but she remembered it as if it had only just occurred. She loved him with all her heart, and he had been sleeping this entire time, waiting for her to join him in dreams every night. Kathryn knew that no matter where she was, no matter what happened to her, the Lonely Mountain was still her home, even after all these years, and he was still keeper of her heart and soul. She took out the scale that dangled from its leather cord around her neck, rubbing her thumbs across it, bringing it to her face and leaving a soft kiss upon its rough surface, allowing her lips to linger. She inhaled its scent, still able to smell him, more out of memory then physically. And as she engrossed herself in a heartfelt presence of him, her mind journeyed back to that time, in a heated cavern, halls filled with gold, and a spectacular creature that captivated and awed her.

It was in this state, that she sang a song she didn't even know she knew, a song that the dwarves of old had begun to sing across the land in hope. She now sang in memory.

**_"Far over the misty Mountain rise _**  
**_leave us standing upon the height _**  
**_what was before, we see once more_**  
**_our kingdom, a distant light._**

**_Fiery mountain beneath the moon_**  
**_the words unspoken, we'll be there soon _**  
**_for home a song that echoes on _**  
**_and all who find us will know the tune. _**

**_Some folk we never forget _**  
**_some kind we never forgive_**  
**_haven't seen the back of us yet _**  
**_we will fight as long as we live. _**  
**_All eyes on the hidden door _**  
**_to the lonely mountain born _**  
**_we will ride in the gathering storm _**  
**_until we get our long forgotten gold._**

**_We lay under the misty mountains cold_**  
**_in slumbers deep and dreams of gold_**  
**_we must awake, our lives to make _**  
**_and in the darkness a torch we hold._**  
**_From long ago when lanterns burned_**  
**_until this day our hearts have yearned_**  
**_her fate unknown, the Arkenstone _**  
**_for what was stolen must be returned._**

**_We must awake and make the day _**  
**_to find our song, for heart and soul._**

**_Some folk we never forget_**  
**_some kind we never forgive_**  
**_haven't seen the end of it yet_**  
**_we will fight as long as we live._**  
**_All eyes on the hidden door _**  
**_to the Lonely Mountain born _**  
**_we will ride in the gathering storm _**  
**_until we get our long forgotten gold._**

**_Far away from Misty Mountains cold."_**

As the last notes of her song faded, Kathryn couldn't stop her mind from wandering back to a prophecy that she had spoken long, long ago. But only one verse came to her mind.

_His crown shall be up-holden,_

_His harp shall be restrung_

_His halls shall echo golden,_

_To songs of yore re-sung…_

It had now begun.

The realisation of this was like a shockwave going through her, and Kathryn gasped as she realised that everything was set in motion, the wheels were now already turning and the pieces were already laid out on the board. She thought of the last dreaded verse of the prophecy, of death and fire, and wondered if there was still time to change everything.

_What am I doing?!_ Kathryn asked herself, shaking her head, her mind suddenly clearing as if she had been in a stupor this entire time and only now awoke. All the pieces were set in place but she could still change the way the game played out: all the other players were preparing to make their moves, but they would be unprepared for her involvement. That was what she needed.

Smaug needed her, whether he knew or not, and whether he would ever admit it, he needed her now. She had been utterly selfish these past years, now she would go to him, she would cast aside her own desires and she would never again forsake him! Perhaps she could speak with him, convince him of the danger that was coming. If the enemy got its hands on him, then not only would countless lives be lost, but she would lose Smaug… she couldn't have that. She wouldn't lose him!

She was going back to the Mountain. She wouldn't go in the company of Thorin Oakenshield, she had to reach the mountain before he did, it was her only chance!

With this decision, she felt every move she made had purpose, and now she quickly hurried around her humble home in order to gather what supplies and provisions she would need. Blankets, rations of food, knife, map, compass, what money she could find, and other bits and pieces. She would have to go to the minister in Bree, or the merchants, and sell the house and animals for what she could. The money would help her on her journey, and no matter how this ended, she was never coming back here again…

Kathryn swayed slightly as a wave of dizziness overtook her mind suddenly. Bracing herself against a chair, she grabbed at the scale, feeling that it was slightly warmer than usual. Kathryn tried to breathe easily, but felt another wave of dizziness shake her as she felt something _pull_ on her soul. Blinking, she realised that it was Smaug, from wherever he was in the Lonely Mountain, asleep and waiting for her, he knew that it was past the normal time when she would fall asleep and dream with him. A look outside into the blackness of full night, Kathryn saw that indeed, it was much later then she had thought. These little pulls were the result of Smaug trying to get her attention, to try and coax her to go to bed. She almost smiled at his insistence, even when he was thousands of miles away, he still felt that he could command and dictate her every action.

Looking back at the darkness outside, Kathryn reasoned that her journey could wait until the morning. For now, she needed sleep. So going to her own room, she quickly changed into her nightgown, and settled in her bed, holding the huge scale in her hands and pressing it against her chest, close to her beating heart. She closed her eyes, and instantly felt Smaug pull at her being, bringing her into an unconscious state and into dreams.

* * *

_When she opened her eyes again, Kathryn was in a large meadow, the soft grass swaying slightly in a small breeze, a morning sun burning above in the sky, dazzling the world in golden light. Kathryn breathed in the world around her, even if the air wasn't real. She was in a place that didn't exist but only in this dream-like world, and the power of that filled her with energy she didn't even know she had!_

_She felt him before she saw him. His presence was suddenly all around her, holding her, even if he wasn't actually touching her, it was like an invisible power held her in its grasp close to him. She smiled, enjoying the feel of his soul against hers. When she opened her eyes again, she turned and saw him standing there. He was in his dragon-form this time, towering over her as he always did, and despite his frightening appearance, Kathryn smiled at him. _

_"You're late," he said simply, eyes watching her._

_"I was merely busy and lost track of time," she told him the half-truth, not sure whether to tell him of her plans. If he knew she was coming, he would simply fly out to meet her and take her back to the mountain, he wouldn't listen to her and she wouldn't have time to convince him of what was coming. _

_But he seemed satisfied, and brought his head down to her level, his huge face quickly engulfing her vision. With a quick shift of his long serpentine neck, his face came behind her, and she held completely still as she suddenly felt the end of his snout press against the back of her neck. She heard him breathe in deeply as he took in her scent with his huge nostrils almost in her hair, every exhale billowing her hair and sending scolding hot breath down her neck. There was a long moment as they stood there, simply content to be in the other's presence. _

_A thought came to Kathryn, and she snorted softly, laughing to herself._

_"What is so amusing?" Smaug asked in a lazy hiss, breaking contact with her in order to fix one blazing eye at her. _

_"It is nothing," Kathryn said softly, meaning to turn from him and explore the dream world._

_"Oh, I don't think so," Smaug said, and with a flick of his tail, he sent it slithering to intercept her path, curling around her so that she had nowhere to go. Kathryn gave him a look, but Smaug ignored her, getting his face close to her again. "Tell me what you find so humorous," _

_"I was merely thinking that no one would believe us if we told them of where we had come from and where we are now," Kathryn said simply, her eyes soft as she beheld that monstrous face that even now, one look from his eyes set her heart racing. _

_"I do as I please," Smaug snapped almost irritably, but not directed at Kathryn. "I need no permission from anyone to do WHAT I want, WHEN I want!" _

_Kathryn had to shake her head, he would never change. _

_"You are troubled by something," the dragon observed, his cunning mind never missing anything. _

_"I merely have a lot on my mind," she said vaguely._

_"So tell me what it is," Smaug said, a slight growl to his voice. Kathryn knew this routine, at the slightest hint that she wasn't completely herself he would think that something was wrong and be on the war path until she calmed him down. She wouldn't have it now however._

_"No," she said curtly. The dragon froze as he stared at her, outrage building in his fiery eyes. _

_"Tell me, Kathryn… Now." He demanded, saying her name in a silky purr, knowing that she liked it when he said it like that. _

_"You'll have to catch me first," she said, quickly stepping outside of his coils. _

_Smaug frowned, cocking his head in confusion momentarily, before his eyes lit up at the prospect of a challenge. He dove forward, jaws open as if to engulf her, claws at the ready to snatch her up in his grasp. Kathryn turned and ran from him, only making him all the more excited by the chase. He closed the distance in seconds, striking like a snake as his teeth went to snap at her skirts –_

_But his jaws snapped shut on nothing but air. Smaug was amazed at the fact that Kathryn had vanished completely, and he twisted to see –_

_Suddenly he felt something large and heavy push down onto his neck and shoulders, quickly toppling his balance and sending him crashing down into the earth. Smaug roared, and twisted his head to snap at whatever had attacked him –_

_And came face to face with Kathryn's dragon form. She was utterly gorgeous, her human beauty transformed into that of a deadly predator as he remembered; her scales a molten gold that seemed to be set ablaze in the light of the sun, but her purple eyes remained the same. She was leaning her body weight onto her forelegs as she pressed them onto Smaug's shoulders and neck, pinning his upper body to the ground, her long serpentine tail was coiled around his own, effectively restraining him. She brought her head close to his with a toothy grin, beaming at the prospect of having surprised Smaug, though she would never laugh directly at his face. But his moment of shock was quickly overcome as he thrashed against her hold, quickly breaking it by his strength. _

_Forced off, Kathryn quickly used the time it would take him to get up, as she turned around and unfurled her large, beautiful wings as she leapt into the air. At the height of her leap, she drove her wings down, quickly catching the air and soaring up into the skies. She heard Smaug roar as he quickly followed her, racing into the air to join her. Kathryn roared back to him, allowing the wonder and joy of flight to fill her almost to the point of bursting, and she showed it as she twirled in the air artfully. This would not be like her first flight, she reasoned, for now she knew how to fly!_

_And she would enjoy every second of it. Tomorrow would come and her journey would begin, but for now, she was happy to stay here, with him. _

_She and Smaug flew off into the light of the sun._

* * *

**A/N: Hey! So, happier ending to this chapter then the last one, and the return of what you all wanted! :D Hope I didn't disappoint, as everything kicks off in the next chapter for the last third of the story. **

**Can I just say now, firstly: that from this point onwards, I will be keeping to the book/movies but I will change certain bits, not because I didn't like them in the movies/book but because I'm changing them to suit the plot. Secondly: I may recite certain scenes or include them in the story because I felt that they were so perfect for what that scene was trying to achieve, but also because some parts just SCREAMED opportunities! :D **

**Okay so now time to review! Please tell me what you think of: Kathryn's wanderings? Her time in Rivendell? Her conversation with Gandalf? My interpretation as to why Smaug has been sleeping for the past sixty years in Erebor? Kathryn's decision to leave? Her constant dreams with Smaug? And of course, the return of her dragon form!? Please, tell me what you think!**

**Can't wait to hear your thoughts. All my love to you readers! :) x**


	16. Chapter 16 - The Nature of Evil

**Author's Note: Okay, so long chapter for you guys, and just a word of warning now: slight violence in this chapter. Also the breaks in between the POV's of this chapter does not mean they happen simultaneously or straight after one another. In most cases, when there is a break in this chapter there is probably days between then and the next entry. So hope that clears up any confusion.**

* * *

Chapter 16 – The Nature of Evil

"I am the beginning of sorrow, and the end of sickness. You cannot express happiness without me, yet I am in the midst of crosses. I am always in risk, yet never in danger. You may find me in the sun, but I am never out of darkness. What am I? The Letter S."

* * *

Kathryn was utterly furious: she had been delayed by an entire week!

She had wanted to leave for her journey straight away, but she couldn't just leave, that would be dishonouring the gift she had been given to just leave it without taking care of it first. So she had gone to a magistrate in Bree, to sell her house and possessions and surrounding lands. The damned man wanted to take two whole days in order to weigh the value of everything, even if she was willing to sell everything at lowest price. She then had to find farmers willing to take her animals from her, but some were already busy working in the fields in preparation for the harvest season. Then, a huge storm had hit Bree, meaning that Kathryn was stuck indoors until it passed.

But finally, it all came together. A young farmer's boy came to take the animals, the magistrate bought the house from her, and even some herbs woman came to pick the crops in the small vegetable patch. Everything was finally taken care of.

Kathryn knew the Company of Thorin Oakenshield was already much further ahead of her, so she needed to be swift. Following her map, Kathryn had a good idea of the path she would take. She would follow the Great East Road until she reached the Last Bridge. From there she would follow the River Hoarwell northwards and follow it as it passed through the Misty Mountains. This would take her away from travellers and passers-by but also would lead her around Rivendell. Although she had fond memories of Rivendell and would like to see her old friends once again, she couldn't risk being slowed down or stopped. Yes, her route northwards would take her longer but she would avoid Oakenshield and any other unwanted delays. She could then pass through Mirkwood, and then she would be so close to Erebor!

But the journey of a thousand leagues, all begins with the first step.

* * *

"Gandalf," Lord Elrond called to the old wizard, drawing his attention from where he was speaking with the dwarf Thorin Oakenshield. Gandalf turned with a kind smile to his old friend, whilst the dwarf looked at Elrond with unhidden contempt. "A word, please,"

Gandalf followed, excusing himself from his present company in order to follow the Elven Lord. They walked until they were out in the open air, walking through the many paths, gardens and bridges that created Rivendell's beauty. Elrond remained silent as he slowly led the old wizard ahead, his mind still processing all that he had learned that day.

After unknowingly rescuing Gandalf and his fourteen party members from an Orc pack, Elrond had invited the dwarves to stay as his guests, although was soon suspicious – for nothing with Gandalf was ever simple, or as it appeared to be. He had soon learned of Thorin Oakenshield's quest to try to take back the Lonely Mountain from the dragon Smaug. But that was not the most disturbing news to him.

"How could you not tell me?!" Elrond demanded, rounding to fix the old wizard with a glare.

"Pardon?" Gandalf asked, mystified at the sudden outburst.

"Of Kathryn!" Elrond said. After reading the moon-runes on Thorin's map, and therefore learning of the true intent of the venture, Elrond had talked with Gandalf and learned everything about Kathryn and her connection to the Lonely Mountain. "When I told you of her, I expected _discretion_, Gandalf! Not only do I find that you purposefully sought her out, when I had given her my oath that I would keep her whereabouts hidden; but I also discover that you used her information for your own purposes."

"It would have been foolish of me to go into this venture and not know what I was up against," Gandalf explained softly.

"I still cannot believe that she is connected with that beast…" Elrond trailed off as he gazed over all of Rivendell before him, leaning against a balcony overlooking the main garden, taking in a breath as he tried to process all of the information he had consumed that day.

"Does knowing that change things?"

"Of course not!" Elrond snapped. "But because of your quest, which _you_ started, you have put her in immense danger! No matter if she chose to stay out of your adventure, by going to her you have directly involved her in all of this."

"Believe me when I say, Elrond," Gandalf said, his voice trying to reassure his friend. "That I did not make this decision lightly. I only did this because I had to."

"I promised myself I would protect her. That she would know no more suffering," Elrond closed his eyes in a moment of withdrawn silence. He remembered the woman who had come to his home, so young, she was barely more than a child, but something in her eyes spoke of how she was aged far beyond her years. He instantly knew that hardship and cruelty had toughened her to a point that most human women her age were not. He had instantly taken pity on her, she reminding him so much of his beloved Arwen: the fire in her spirit, yet the wisdom of someone three times her age, and so he had vowed to himself to keep her safe. The only reason that he had told Gandalf of her was because the old wizard was so insistent in knowing and because he trusted Gandalf greatly.

"I know. I do not wish to see her suffer either," Gandalf murmured. "But this could not be avoided."

"Were you ever going to tell me of your plans?" Elrond asked.

"Well of course I was going to tell you, I was waiting for this very chance," Gandalf insisted. "And really, I think you can trust that I know what I'm doing,"

"Do you?" Elrond asked, looking back at the wizard with his dark, serious eyes. "That dragon has slept for _sixty_ _years_." Elrond said, as they came to a bridge, walking side by side as they talked. "Sixty years he has slept, and sixty years the land has not suffered his wrath as a result. You can still see the smoke rising from his burned lands from where he was last seen: destroying everything in his path, burning everything to the ground."

"And he's been sat there long enough," Gandalf murmured in a dark tone. "Elrond, if we don't reach that mountain, then others will come,"

"Perhaps. But what is your plan? You have sworn an oath to Kathryn that you will help to save his life. I do not think that Thorin Oakenshield will allow him to simply walk out of that mountain. And I don't think the dragon will allow you to make him, either."

"Yes, I gave her my word. And I intend to keep it, to the best of my ability. But whatever happens, the powers of that dragon and the vast horde that lies within that Mountain cannot fall into the wrong hands."

"And what will happen if your plan should fail? If you wake that beast –"

"But if we succeed?" Gandalf countered. "If the dwarves take back the mountain, our defences in the east will be strengthened."

"It is a dangerous move Gandalf,"

"And it is also dangerous to do nothing!" The wizard stressed. "Oh come now, the throne of Erebor is Thorin's birth-right. What is it you fear?"

"Have you forgotten?" Elrond asked, snapping his hard gaze onto Gandalf again, stopping them in their tracks. "A strain of madness runs deep in that family. His grandfather lost his mind, his father succumbed to the same sickness. Can you swear that Thorin Oakenshield will not also fall?"

The two stared at each other, stubborn gazes both refusing to yield. But finally, Elrond took a step back, breathing deeply, knowing that he would never convince Gandalf from what he had set his mind to, but felt that he had to try.

"Gandalf, these decisions do not rest with us alone," the elf Lord said, a tired, exasperated tone in his voice. "It is not up to you or me to redraw the map of Middle-Earth."

"With or without our help, these dwarves will march on the mountain," Gandalf said, resuming their walk as they came to the end of the bridge and started to ascend a beautifully carved, twisting staircase up to a raised courtyard. "They're determined to reclaim their homeland. I do not believe that Thorin Oakenshield feels that he is answerable to anyone."

As they reached the top, Gandalf turned to Elrond with a defiant, mischievous twinkle in his ancient eyes.

"And nor for that matter, am I." he added with a small smile.

"Perhaps," Elrond said. "But believe it or not, you have involved forces far beyond your intention, Gandalf. This is not just some simple, noble quest to retake a lost home. There are many players here and many puppeteers pulling the strings that we cannot see."

"And that is why we cannot ignore this," Gandalf grumbled, meaning to walk past the Elvish Lord, when Elrond suddenly placed a gentle hand upon Gandalf's arm.

"If anything happens to Kathryn because of your meddling ways Gandalf, know that it will be your doing." Elrond said in a low voice, before finally stepping back. "And besides, it is not me you must answer to." And with that, he led the wizard into the courtyard.

* * *

In the eternal blackness of sleep, Smaug waited. In a place where space seemed to be infinite and yet nothing at all, where there was no air for his lungs but he breathed, and where there was no light but he could see. In this place, he waited.

Memories and sensations filtered through his mind, seemingly random thoughts flying across his consciousness in an attempt to occupy his mind for the time being. This was how his world had become: he would wait in this darkness, allowing time to slip by around him, until he felt the world shift as the sun set, and then the darkness would end and he would feel a soft presence of mind connect with his, and he would hastily latch on and drag himself across what seemed eons of time and leagues of land in order to swim in dreams once more. The feat left him mentally exhausted, so that by the time that the dream ended and he returned once more to his own mind, he would rest in cold blackness, but always aware of that connection, waiting until it would return and he would be rested enough to do it all over again.

The world outside had continued on without him, he could feel the passing of time even within this dream world with which he now inhabited. Over half a century had passed, and yet he had not been disturbed, and he had remained in the dark, waiting. Waiting for a sound, both in his mind and physically back in his lair where he slept; he waited for a voice, _the_ voice. Time passed in one breath, seasons flew past and years came and went, and still he longed, he _ached,_ for the sound of that voice. When he rested and waited in the darkness, he often hummed to himself a tune that he only half knew, its words on the tip of his tongue but he did not know them consciously, for they had been sung to him whilst his waking mind was absent. But he would remember the music, and would try to imagine the voice with which the words belonged, but it never did justice compared to the angelic, melodious sound he remembered.

Dreams were a poor substitute compared to the real thing; both for the voice, and for the one who wielded it.

And now, Smaug could sense the world outside shift once again as the light yielded to the dark and the watchful night began to draw in. It was then, that Smaug knew it was time.

Looking deep within himself, he found the connection to Kathryn inside of his soul, as if attached to his very heart. It was like a thick chain or a rope made of shining gold attached to him and that led off into the deep darkness around him. Feeling along the bond they shared, Smaug felt that the consciousness at the other end was exhausted but still not asleep. Irked that she was not ready for him, he gave a mental tug upon the chain that bound them, feeling Kathryn register his insistence.

He had to wait for precisely forty three minutes before he finally felt her succumb to sleep and allow him to carry her into dreams as he melded his consciousness with hers, pulling himself along their bond until he was firmly in her mind.

The darkness around him melted away to reveal a coast line, the sun shining brightly above, glittering off of the sea that was miraculously still, making the water as smooth as a pane of glass. Cliffs rose behind him, and Smaug felt his large clawed feet sink slightly as he curled his toes in the sand of the shore. His attention, however, was solely focused on Kathryn as she stood in the sand, wearing only a simply white robe, tied around her waist in order to conceal her body. She lifted the hem, and had her feet in the still ocean water, her pale skin glittering with water droplets, shining like pearls.

Smaug felt his body begin to warm, his chest glowing as it would when he was angered or about to unleash his fire, but he felt neither. He shifted his forelegs, wings ruffling slightly from where they were tucked against his back, a rumbling growl of a purr escaping his throat, though thankfully it was a sound beyond the range of human hearing.

She noticed his presence, as she always did in dreams, he had stopped bothering to hide himself from her. Turning to him, her ruby red hair was like fire, the almost unnoticeable golden highlights seemed to blaze as it caught the light of the sun as it swayed slightly in the breeze, carrying her scent to his nose where he drank it in with a small, appreciative shudder. She smiled, but he could see that even in dreams her usually vibrant purple eyes were dull from exhaustion.

He had noticed this a lot lately. She was now more often than not late to join him in dreams, and he usually had to remind her by tugging upon the bond in order to coax her to fall asleep. Then, even in dreams with him, she still seemed utterly exhausted. He had immediately pressed for an answer, but she had only answered him vaguely, and told him that much was happening where she was. That was all he could get from her, until it carried on for another week and a half, only yesterday, when he demanded answers, did she say that she was travelling again, though to where she did not say.

He was beginning to grow impatient with this –

Smaug felt something along the edges of his consciousness, a brush of an unknown presence that he had never felt before. He froze, casting his mind all around, a fury in him that his precious moments had been spoiled, and another part ruthlessly tried to find the intruder. He cast his mind along the edges of Kathryn's consciousness, and then along the bond that they shared; he was determined that whoever this was that had just touched his mind with their own, he would not have them discover Kathryn.

"Smaug?" he heard the woman ask, her voice soft and concerned. He didn't answer, instead made an audible growl as he summarised that this unknown presence wanted his attention, as it was now poking and prodding at the walls of his mind back at his body, but had not yet discovered the bond that connected him to Kathryn. He wanted to keep it that way.

Without a second thought, Smaug discarded himself from the dream, furiously dematerialising from that reality and into the darkness once again, clawing his way back along the bond and back into his own head. Once he was fully settled, he quickly made sure that this other person had not breached his walls – as if they could even make a tiny crack. He felt Kathryn tug along the bond, and he could feel her confusion and concern as to why he had left. He ignored her, and instead blocked out the bond and her mind from his, sealing her out, so that she could not affect him or read his being and at the same time whoever was trying to get into his mind would not find her.

When he was sure that there was no trace of her left, he ventured outside of his own mind, and tackled the consciousness that had been creeping around his barriers.

The change was almost instant: Smaug felt his mind be assaulted with power on all sides, trying to subdue him as he furiously fought against the intruder. The blackness around him changed, it became deeper, darker, it was no longer silent, but whispers of a thousand different voices echoed around his ears. But Smaug would not be beaten, he was the greatest dragon of his time, after all, and so he let this unknown being know this as he rallied his mental strength and batter the consciousness with his might, holding his own against it as he also protected his mind from further invasion.

But suddenly, Smaug felt himself be blasted by a surge of power, it almost flung him aside, and he felt the effect of Raw Magic as his own responded from where it slept in his blood. But this was different from Raw Magic that he had ever felt before, it was dark, tainted, almost black as it swirled like mist and wretched fog.

Then, without warning, Smaug's vision was completely overtaken as he saw an eye wreathed in flames. It was only a split second, but he still saw it, the heat surrounding him but not affecting him. And when it passed, Smaug found his conscious mind in a place, an illusion to look like a ruined fortress all around him, crumbling even as he stood amongst the columns and walls, dwarfing everything around him.

He growled, searching for whatever had gotten his attention. He could feel it everywhere, it was like a shadow that belonged to all, a sickness that clung to the very foundations of the ruin, a bitter taste in the air he breathed. But even though he could feel the presence around him, it felt weak, but an ancient power radiated from it in waves, a darkness that was as unstoppable as the tide. Smaug thought he could sense something eerily familiar about it, and tried to think about where he had encountered such a presence before…

Before he could remember, a sound caught his attention, and he snapped his gigantic reptilian head to face the noise. From the corners of the ruin, a shadow on the wall moved, though it had no body attached to it. It was something not of substance, for it shifted and writhed as it moved like it couldn't settle on a specific form, and only moved along surfaces as if it were a shadow of a shadow. The unnatural way of this stirred something in Smaug, making his lip curl to reveal his teeth threateningly, the claws of his forelegs twitched apprehensively, and every spike and scale along his neck and shoulders became raised like the hackles of a wolf.

"Who are you?" Smaug hissed in a low voice, lowering his head as he fixed his eyes upon the spectre, chest glowing in preparation to blast his fire.

"_I am of many names. The Abhorred, Lord of Gifts, Lord of the Earth. I am all._" Smaug was confronted by a thousand voices, speaking, whispering, shouting, screaming, all around him and yet nowhere at all.

"What are you?" he growled, his curiosity starting to get the better of him as he continued to watch the darkness slither across the walls, maintaining a healthy distance from the form of the dragon.

"_A Darkness beyond measure, a shadow in the hearts of all, regaining strength for a promised reign,_" growled the voice, growing stronger with every word it spoke.

"What do you want?"

"_The domination of all._" The voice almost roared, as loud as the seas in a tempest, sending a wave of power through the earth, making the fortress shake around them. "_I grow in strength, and war and death shall come for all. Nothing shall be untouched. You will be my greatest weapon, you are fire and death, you shall bring destruction and desolation upon my enemies, and they shall weep at the warning of your passing._"

Smaug felt his pride be flattered by the words, encouraging him to listen.

"_You shall be master of all the gold you desire, you will lead my armies into glorious battle, and none shall ever rebel against your might again. In return for these gifts I offer, you will destroy and kill everything in your path, the cities of men, the strongholds of dwarves and the gardens of elves shall burn and crumble!_"

Smaug felt himself growl. His ego swelled to beyond measure at the praise, but he did not like the commanding tone in the voice. He was servant to no one.

But before he could snap at the shadow, he suddenly felt another blast of dark power, and the vision of the ruin around him vanished and the presence of the darkness along with it. And so, he was sent hurtling back into his own mind, alone, leaving him to ponder what had just happened.

* * *

The Darkest Shadow returned to the physical realm where it inhabited Dol Guldur, weakened by its exertion of engaging the dragon in a mental battle. It was not yet ready for such trials, still weak enough that it couldn't form its physical body yet, instead appearing as a shapeless mass of shadows.

But it was growing stronger, day by day, its power was returning, and soon he would be able to strike.

Yet the Shadow needed the dragon, it would be the greatest weapon in his arsenal: unbeatable, virtually invulnerable, massive in size and strength, and powerful beyond anything any other race in Middle-Earth could hope to comprehend. It was still unclear as to whether the beast would join his cause, but he had left it his offer, his bargain. And sooner or later the beast would come to him.

But he never accepted a situation unless all the cards were in his favour.

Taking on the guise of "the Necromancer", the shadow summoned the seed of Azog the Defiler: the Pale Orc Bolg, he called himself. As the tall white skinned Orc approached, the Necromancer assessed him: his face hideously ruined by scars and abnormalities inflicted upon him by countless battles. When Bolg reached the platform before the Darkness that was the Necromancer, he knelt before him, bowing his head in complete submission to his will.

"_Summon the Defiler_," the thousand tongues of the Darkness spoke in Black Speech, feeling the power of his words as they rippled across the very air itself. "_You shall take his place upon the Hunt. Destroy the Company of Fourteen, do not let them reach Erebor._"

"Yes, Master," Bolg bowed his head further lower.

"_And with you, take your swiftest riders, and bring to me the One the Dragon Seeks,_" the Darkness hissed.

"Master?"

"_You shall know her by the purple of her eyes and the power she wields. She will be travelling along the same road as Oakenshield. Bring her to me. Alive._"

Bolg nodded, before standing and grabbing a hold of his mace, and calling to his riders, swiftly leaving to find his Warg and go after his prey.

Oh yes, the Darkness knew of the Woman–Seer. He knew her from all those years ago, when he was still too weak to even form substance, merely a ghost of a shadow, flittering across dream and memory. He remembered being brought into her vision, of reliving his final hours upon the battlefield before he fell upon the slopes of Mordor. He had been summoned to her vision and played himself within the dream, bound by the rules he had to follow, but he still remembered seeing her, feeling the call of her power as it responded to his own. His desire to possess her for her power had truly been great, as he had reached for her meaning to take her there and then, before he was interrupted and forced to play along with the vision.

But now, he could get to her. When conversing with the Dragon, he had felt the power of the bond they shared, had discovered it despite the beast's attempts to hide it from him. And so he now had every reason to possess her. With the seer in his clutches, he would be able to dominate and use her seer abilities and connection to Raw Magic for his own advantage. But with her bond with the Dragon, she would also be the perfect bargaining chip.

If the Beast wanted her alive, or rather, in one piece, then he would have no choice but to obey, as would everything else soon enough.

* * *

The journey was taking far longer than expected.

When Kathryn had first gone on her journey from the Lonely Mountain, it had taken her roughly two months of travelling. But back then, she had been travelling light, and was not hampered by the prospect of trying to avoid certain peoples. Now on her journey back, she had been delayed because of her wanting to not get caught up with the Company of Thorin Oakenshield, and she wanted to avoid the busier roads. But, she quickly found that something else was different then her first trip, something that was a great and dangerous set back to her.

The land was crawling with Orcs.

Kathryn noticed this when she came close to the Misty Mountains, at the pass by Ettenmoore, stray packs of Orcs had been scouring the countryside, not in great numbers, no more than three or four in a pack at a time. But by how frequently she was seeing these different packs of Orcs, all astride Wargs or hunting ruthlessly on foot, she knew that something was happening. She had tried to avoid them at all costs, being on her own would make her easy prey, but also it meant that she could go undetected much easier. One well-placed vision before she had fully awoken from her dreams with Smaug had confirmed to her a path that she could take along her route that was clear of Orcs. Thank the Valar, and Irmo the Valar Lord of Dreams and Visions in particular, for small graces.

It was an understatement that the Orcs slowed her progress down to almost a crawl. When she had passed a travelling Merchant, she had had to invest in a new one handed blade in order to help protect herself along the road. She couldn't count on magic all of the time, so cheap but reliable steel was better. Whilst she travelled through the mountain pass, Kathryn had been suspicious of anything that moved. Goblins had been known to set traps above their lairs in the pits of the Mountains, so she had to be mindful of that and a pack of Orcs.

But having gone through the Misty Mountains, she only had a small stretch of land and a forest now separating her from the Lonely Mountain! She had just passed over the River Anduin, and expected to reach the edge of Mirkwood before the sun set. She knew that Thorin and his Company of Dwarves were just ahead of her, perhaps if she had luck on her side she could overtake them through the forest, and then reach the Mountain first!

But she was just outside the shadow of the trees, when she came to a stop as she heard something from over the edge of the next hill, a small cry for help. Listening intently, Kathryn strained her sense of hearing to see if she could catch the sound again, or if it was just her mind playing tricks on her. But then she heard it again, a scream for help. But then it was quickly followed by a ferocious snarl.

Scrambling to find purchase and climb up the hill, Kathryn hunkered low to the ground as she peeked over the rise, trying to be as quiet as possible as she peered onto the scene below.

Three Orcs were attacking two women and their cart, one Orc had a Warg whilst the other two were on foot, all clothes in animal skins and crudely made iron armours, weapons made of metal and bone strapped to their disgustingly filthy dark hides. The older of the two women was cursing and shouting at the Orcs, brandishing a knife and swinging it as each of the Orcs circled her. She had raven dark hair, and slightly tanned skin as if from years in the sun, but had the lightest blue eyes Kathryn had ever seen, like crystallised ice. She stood tall and proud, but a smaller figure clung to her, a young girl, not a child, but Kathryn would guess that she was perhaps thirteen or fourteen, not long past her blooming of maidenhood. She had a beautifully innocent heart shaped face with lovely blond hair like the sun, but had the older woman's ice-blue eyes that were now filled with tears of fear as she screamed. The Orcs were showing them no mercy however, and continued to close in for the final kill.

Heart seizing, unable to watch the scene any longer, Kathryn leapt to her feet, not listening to any rational thought in her head, she merely placed her fingers to her lips and whistled. A long, loud, piercing note shrieked through the air, causing the Warg to freeze and snap its attention towards the sound.

Every single person in the immediate vicinity turned to stare at her.

"Come on!" She yelled, before turning and racing away down the hill as fast as her legs would carry her.

She knew she was being pursued by the howling of the Warg as it raced across the ground with thundering footsteps, the hunting calls of the Orcs baying at her heels. Kathryn ran as fast as she could, her breath coming in heaves as she pumped her arms and legs to move, carrying her across the space. But as she looked around frantically, she found that there was nowhere for her to go, nothing to help her. _Stupid, stupid, stupid! _She hissed at herself.

Kathryn cried out as she felt an arm wrap around her waist and hoist her into the air, grabbing one of her arms to wrench behind her back as the lead Orc lifted her onto his Warg. Kathryn struggled, kicking her legs out, and as she felt the Orc shift from his perch atop his beast, she leaned all of her bodyweight, swinging her legs to try and gather momentum. She finally managed it, as with her shift to the weight dynamic, suddenly sent her and her Orc captor toppling over the side and falling to the earth. Hard.

Kathryn was dazed for but a moment, yet as she tried to crawl away, the Orc was up and pounced onto her, rolling her over as he quickly pinned her beneath him. She continued to struggle as the Orc took out a knife but froze when he saw something, his eyes locked onto her chest. Kathryn felt her skin crawl, recognising the very situation that she had been in once before. Except that there was no dragon coming to save her this time. Looking down, she saw in horror that the dragon-scale had come free of its hiding place where it lay clearly visible as the Orc stared at it.

"**_Kulkodar!_**" the Orc snarled, eyes wide as he stared at the scale. He licked his foul teeth, eyes alight with a beastly madness as he tried to pull her back up onto her feet and into his wretched grasp. But, as he did, he was unprepared for Kathryn reaching behind her with her free arm, and quickly bringing forth her short steel blade. Her arm acted of its own accord, she was hardly aware of what she was doing, as one moment she was trying to pull away from the Orc's grasp, the next, her arm was swinging, and buried her blade in the neck of the Orc, black foul blood spraying everywhere and splattering up her face.

Kathryn shrieked as she fell back and fell gracelessly into the dirt, wiping at the disgusting blood, forgetting her blade that was still stuck in the dead Orc's neck. Hearing grunts and snarls, Kathryn froze, and slowly looked up to see the other two Orcs standing not a dozen feet away, with the rider-less Warg growling at her a short distance off.

The second Orc screamed in fury as he saw his comrade fall, charging full pelt at the woman, with the third following suit, meaning to trap her on her other side. Kathryn had to pick one of them, and fuelled by the adrenaline coursing through her veins and her racing heart, she picked her closest enemy and felt her body be filled with energy. She tried to focus, as all of her training had taught her up until this point. But it wasn't coming quickly enough, and so she allowed her terror and desperation to drive her, and felt the magic increase tenfold.

The blast she sent out was like a shock-wave: she had meant for it to hit the Orc, but instead it sent a ripple through the earth, causing rings to rise from the ground unevenly, uprooting rocks and huge mounds of dirt. It was sent out to almost twenty feet away from her, causing the Orc charging her to trip and stumble over the suddenly uneasy footing, and as he fell, his neck and head smashed into a protruding flint stone as a big as a cart-wheel, instantly breaking his neck with a sickening crack.

But Kathryn didn't have enough time to counterattack the final Orc that she knew was right behind her. Her blade was lost in the body of an Orc and after that blast of magic she felt almost drained, ready to collapse; and so braced herself for whatever impact was coming for her.

But none came. There was suddenly a flash of bright light, a surge of heat, the roar of an inferno and a scream of agony. It all happened so fast, Kathryn thought that Smaug had suddenly appeared and saved her. But as she turned and watched the Orc fall, writhing and screaming as he succumbed to the flames, Kathryn saw the woman with icy eyes not thirty feet away, with the young girl beside her with a crossbow in her hands, the Warg dead with a crossbow bolt piercing his eye. The woman had her hands out and aimed at the Orc where she had just sent the fireball shooting from her hands. Kathryn was left open mouthed in shock.

"Oh you poor dear!" the woman exclaimed, rushing over to Kathryn and kneeling beside her, carefully manoeuvring around the rings of disrupted earth as she did so. "Here let me look at you…" the woman quickly put her hand out and held Kathryn's face in her hands, turning her head this way and that in an attempt to see her face and neck, and then checking her arms and waist for any sign of injury.

"Please… don't," Kathryn said weakly, shaking her head in an attempt to regain her composure. She pulled away from the woman's grip and slowly stood to her feet. "Thank you, but I'm fine,"

"There are no wounds that I'm aware of, but you're covered in blood," the woman's voice was charming, surprisingly deep and sounded the wisdom of a woman who should be twice her age. Indeed, the woman appeared to be no older than her mid-twenties such was her striking beauty, but the way she carried herself, the way she spoke to Kathryn, it was as if she were in her fourth decade. The woman reached into her pocket and produced a small rag that passed as a handkerchief and passed it to Kathryn. "Here you are,"

"Thank you," Kathryn murmured, and began to wipe her face, scrubbing at it to clear her skin of the foulness she felt from the Orc blood.

"I must say my dear," the woman said, a beautiful smile gracing her lips. "That was very courageous and selfless of you, to come and help us when you did. I dread to think of what would have become of my daughter and I had you not come along, I thank Eru that you were close by,"

"It was nothing," Kathryn said quietly, going to the body of the lead Orc as she retrieved her blade from his neck. She kept trying to recollect her thoughts of what had just happened. The attack… the Orc death's… the magic… the fireball…

"When we saw those Orcs go after you, there was no way we could abandon you to those foul creatures, not after you had saved us from the same fate." The woman said, her raven black hair casting a shadow upon her face where her ice-blue eyes seemed to glow like twin moons. "I wasn't about to let them kill you for our sake."

"What did… how did you…" Kathryn trailed off, still completely at a loss for words.

"There are many unknown talents in Middle-Earth," the woman said, cutting Kathryn off as she spoke in a cryptic tone, though her eyes bore into Kathryn suddenly, as if testing her. "Some are more spectacular than others… like what I saw you perform,"

Kathryn was silent, the woman had seen her do magic. She understood the warning in the woman's words and so respectfully backed down.

"Oh, but where are my manners! My name is Andraya," the dark haired woman said, smiling beautifully again and holding out her hand to Kathryn like a noble-born lady. "Andraya of Dol Amroth,"

"Kathryn of Threndryn," Kathryn said, giving her fiction name that she had used in Bree for the past sixty years. She took Andraya's hand and shook it firmly, and found her lips smiling slightly as the woman seemed genuinely pleased to have learned her name.

"And this," Andraya continued, reaching to pull forward the young blond girl until she stood before Katrhyn, looking at her nervously. "This is my daughter, Freyja."

"How do you do, my lady," the girl said in a small voice, averting her gaze from Kathryn's politely. Kathryn almost frowned. There seemed to be almost no way that these two could be mother and daughter, the girl looked to be just thirteen if that, for her body was just rounding into a womanly figure, for she still had a very straight and delicately thin body, with stick like legs and arms and small breasts and buttocks, though her face was full of innocent, angelic beauty. The only thing that the two women had in common was their ice-blue eyes.

"Do not use such formalities with me sweet Freyja," Kathryn said kindly, for truly she felt compassion for the poor girl, who acted as her mother ordered, constantly under her thumb and lock and key. Kathryn knew what that felt like. "I am no lady,"

The girl seemed taken aback by Kathryn's words, but after a moment she smiled, looking at the woman before her with almost admiration in her eyes.

"Where are you headed to, Kathryn?" Andraya asked, her voice cutting through the moment, and sending Frayja scrambling back to her mother's side, where she averted her gaze to the ground.

"East." Kathryn said simply but politely. "I'm heading towards Lake-Town, for I have some family there that I must attend to," the lie came off of her tongue easily, for she had rehearsed it every time she met a fellow traveller and feared that they would ask such a dreaded question.

"Oh," Andraya said, raising her brows in surprise. "You shall be entering through the Mirkwood then?"

"It is the fastest route to my goal, my family is sick and in need of my help," she said, adding the last part for emphasis.

"Then I urge you to be careful my friend," Andraya said solemnly. "This is not the Greenwood of Old, and dark creatures have been known to haunt this place."

"Thank you, but I'm confident that I can handle myself… as can you?" Kathryn let the sentence hang.

"Aha!" Andraya burst into wonderful, musical laughter, her face lighting up with a radiant beauty that would surely sway even the most loyal man to be begging at her feet. "Very well my friend, I wish you all the best on your venture," she said, leading her daughter by the shoulder back towards the direction of her cart. But Kathryn saw Andraya give one last look to her chest, at the scale that still sat there for all to see, before turning and leaving.

"And the same to you," Kathryn said, clutching the scale to her chest protectively, and turned back as she made her way towards the Forest of Mirkwood that loomed before her.

She brought the scale to her lips and kissed its rough hide softly, hoping to gain whatever courage and luck from it that she could. She looked to the dark and twisted shadows of the forest, gnarled and dark and leaking a sickness that seemed to hang heavily in the air.

"Just this forest… and then I'm home," Kathryn whispered to herself. It didn't take her long to find the elven path the dwarves had used – she was sure as an inkling of her powers pushed her intuition – and from there she did as she had the last time she had entered Mirkwood. She took off her shoes and let her feet be bare upon the stone of the path, though tree roots had grown and rose up between the paving stones as nature tried to reclaim the road. She tied a scarf around her neck to stop herself from breathing in the fumes of the forest; she held out her blade, ready for whatever danger may present itself.

She entered the forest, quickly making her way deep into the shadows as she climbed over roots and ducked under branches. Deeper in she waded, unaware that she was being watched the entire time.

* * *

"Such is the Nature of Evil." Thranduil, King of the Woodelves of Mirkwood stood before the dais of his throne, his tall stiff body was rigid as he stood straight and regal before his son, Legolas who was holding onto a captive Orc, and Tauriel, his captain of the guard as she stood protectively beside her King. "In time all foul things come forth."

"You were tracking a company of thirteen Dwarves: why?" Legolas asked the Orc, bringing his blade to its neck in order to keep the beast under control. Tauriel paced back and forth, her dark eyes fixed in a glare upon the foul creature, her blades twirling in her hands.

The Elven-King of Mirkwood looked at the Orc before him, kneeling upon the ground, his hands bound behind his back, with a knife held at his throat by Legolas when gripping the Orc's black hair to wrench his head back. The Orc growled and snarled, hissing and spitting in contempt as it glared with those feral orange eyes at the Elves around it.

The Orc remained silent, merely growling as its eyes shifted back and forth between them all.

"You have nothing to fear," Thranduil said calmly, using his soft, musical voice to bring a sense of sincerity to his words. "Tell us what you know and I will set you free,"

The Orc growled, rustling slightly in his hold, but Thranduil could almost see the wheels turning in his thick skull. The Orc was no longer cursing and barking in his own tongue. Now, he remained silent, thoughtful. That was the opportunity they needed.

"You had orders to kill them; why?" Legolas said, drawing the Orc's attention back to the question at hand. "What is Thorin Oakenshield to you?" Legolas narrowed his eyes in suspicion at the foul creature.

"The Dwarf _RUNT_," the Orc hissed with every fibre of hate and disgust that inhabited his soul. "Will never be King!"

"King?!" Legolas remarked. Thranduil circled the pair, moving so slowly that neither noticed him until he stood in front of the Orc, as he listened, memorised and contemplated every single word that was spoken. "There is no King Under the Mountain, nor will there ever be!" Legolas continued in an icy monotone. "None would dare enter Erebor whilst the Dragon lives!"

"You know _Nothing!_" the Orc snapped quickly, straining to glare at Legolas from his bonds. Another wrench on the creature's head and the Orc was brought back to his original position. But then, the Orc fixed those amber eyes upon Thranduil, who was facing away, but could feel the creature's dirty stare upon him. "You world will **_burn_**."

"What are you talking about?" Legolas blinked, the only sign of his unease. And Thranduil could feel it to: the Orc's words crept up his spine like ice upon water, winding its way to take root with dark foreboding in the back of his mind. "Speak!" Legolas demanded, shaking the Orc to try and get an answer.

"Our time has come again," The Orc grinned, flashing those horrible, cracked, rotting, yellow pointed teeth as he growled with malicious pleasure. "My master serves… **_The One_**. And when we find the one the dragon seeks, everything shall succumb to fire and death!"

Thranduil froze, feeling a cold settle over him, his heart skipping a beat as he heard the Orc put every dark meaning and intention into those two words. He knew, all of those who were old enough to remember knew, of what this meant, and for the first time in hundreds of years, he felt fear. But upon the surface he remained the same eerily calm and controlled. Yet he couldn't help but be confused by that last statement: "the one the dragon seeks"? What did that mean?

"Do you understand now, Elfling?" The Orc snarled, his eyes constantly upon Thranduil as he spoke, never blinking. "**_Death_** is upon you! The Flames of War… are upon **_You_**!"

Thranduil felt his heart seize, the scars upon his face tingling from the memory of the agony as he watched his face melt away with the bright light and all-consuming heat of Dragon-Fire! He could hear the Orc cackling with laughter as he could see Thranduil's sudden fear, only them two seeming to know the weight of what he had just said. His rage swelling to beyond control, in one swift and fluent movement, Thranduil produced a blade from his robes and swung it, cutting the Orc's head clean from his shoulders with a sickening tearing of flesh.

Only when the body lay bleeding and shaking upon the floor, and Legolas held the head in his hand, a disgusted and shocked expression upon his face, did Thranduil turn to see what he had done. A mask of calm and collection as good as the illusion upon his face, now firmly in place.

"Why did you do that?" Legolas asked, sounding almost exasperated as he looked at his father, dropping the head of the Orc as he did so. "You promised to set him free."

"And I did," Thranduil said simply, walking round until he stood beside his son and gazed almost quizzically at the body of the Orc that twitched and shook in its last death throes. "I freed his wretched head from his miserable shoulders," he muttered, stamping upon the leg of the Orc in order to stop the thrashing.

"There was more the Orc could tell us!"

"There was nothing more he could tell _me_," Thranduil murmured smoothly, turning away from the scene, putting his blade back in its hidden holster as he walked.

"What did he mean by "the Flames of War"?" Legolas asked after him.

"It means that they plan to unleash a weapon so great, it will destroy all before it…" Thranduil murmured, unable to deny the fear he felt in his stomach, remembering the flames, the death, and could only imagine the devastation if the Orcs accomplished their plan. "I want the watch doubled at our borders! All roads, all rivers. Nothing moves but I hear of it!"

Thranduil turned back to face his son, who stood there watching him, eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion.

"No one enters this kingdom, and no one leaves it!" Thranduil ordered. Legolas nodded, and went to leave as Tauriel stealthily excused herself. Thranduil turned and walked up the many wooden walkways that would lead him to his own chambers.

"My King!" came a voice.

Thranduil turned to see a scout walk up to him, his strides purposeful as he came up to his king. He bowed swiftly and elegantly, his long auburn hair swaying slightly with the movement. Thranduil waited until he stood, his pale blue eyes piercing into the scout, who remained remarkably still and calm under his stare.

"I was patrolling the southern borders, my King, watching for the outsider as you ordered." The scout said formerly, never meeting Thranduil's eyes out of respect for his liege.

"And?" Thranduil asked impatiently. "Were you able to find him?"

"No sir." The Scout shook his head. "But there is something else: a human woman was spotted entering the forest this morning."

"I care not for one human," Thranduil dismissed in an irritable tone, turning away from the scout as he walked away. "Let the forest have her if she would be so foolish enough to enter,"

"But my Liege, this woman had purple eyes like amethysts,"

Thranduil stopped dead in his tracks. He turned to fix the scout with a look that could pierce the souls of men and make them squirm. Fortunately, the scout had a stronger backbone it seemed, but he still averted his eyes to the ground in shame.

"Are you sure?" Thranduil asked in a sharp tone.

"Yes, my King. She appears to be making her way along our path through the forest – the same as the dwarf's route."

"Has she wandered from the path?"

"No your grace, she has stayed on the path. But, my liege, there is something else…"

"What is it?"

"The woman… she carries a dragon scale around her neck."

Thranduil blinked in surprise, his mind taking a moment to process that information. Surely this couldn't be true, but his scouts had never lied to him.

"Did you see this yourself?" He whispered in a dangerous voice.

"Yes my lord. I saw it with my own eyes, hung around her neck by a piece of leather cord. I have had several scouts follow her, silent and stealthy so that she will not notice them. I came to report straight to you."

"Good," Thranduil murmured, his mind whirling with the possibilities.

What were the chances that thirteen dwarves, bound for the Lonely Mountain, should pass through his Kingdom, and not hours after a woman pass by in the same direction using the same pass? And then there was the connection between her, and that scale she wore around her neck, and then the words that the Orc had spoken… "The one the dragon seeks". There could be no coincidence. And then there was the matter of her eyes, purple eyes of a seer. Thranduil knew that if he couldn't stop the dwarves from bringing about their own doom, then he could at least attempt to have this woman. He needed this mystery unravelled: he needed to know how she got that scale and why Orcs were after her.

"I want this woman brought to me – alive! Bring her to me, and bring me that scale: she does not leave my Kingdom!"

The scout bowed low to his king once again, and quickly left.

* * *

**A/N: Okay, so hope you all enjoyed the chapter and like my twists so far!**

**Please review now! Tell me what you think of: Elrond and Gandalf? The Necromancer's offering to Smaug? The Necromancer's plans? My OC's Andraya and Freyja? Thranduil's input in the story? **

**Hope everyone liked the chapter and please review!**


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